Gundam 06
by Manic Grasshopper
Summary: What if there were 6 gundams instead of 5? What if 2 were built and launched from L2? What if the pilot was...Duo Maxwell's half-sister?!?
1. Operation Meteor

Standard disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. I am a poor, unemployed college student. Please do not sue. However, Kage, Professor Merrick, and Amy Merrick are my creations, along with anyone new who happens to show up later in this story. Please ask my permission before you use them.

Notes: This fic is rated PG-13 for mild violence (it'll be in here somewhere, I'm sure) mild language, and the possibility of implied yaoi (boy x boy) relationships. See glossary below. Also, this fic is obviously Alternate Universe. Past scenes/ thoughts will be in italics.

Glossary: Some words used are Japanese. In case you don't know them, here they are.

Kage - Shadow

Ne - All right, Isn't it, Hey, depending on context.

Imouto - Younger sister

Iie - No

Arigato - Thank you

Baka - Idiot, stupid

Gundam 06 (working title) by Manic Grasshopper 10/3/01

Chapter One: Operation Meteor

The girl bent over her toolbox, searching for a wrench. At this point in the repairs, both she and her coverall were smeared with grease.

"Where in the hell is it?"

"Lookin' for this?"

The girl looked down to see Duo Maxwell below the catwalk, grinning and holding a wrench. 

"Aw, Duo! How long have you been there with that?"

"Only a minute or two. Didn't ya hear it fall?"

"Iie. Can you bring it up? I need to tighten this shoulder joint on Kage."

Duo began to head up the stairs. "You sure are in a hurry to get on with Operation Meteor, aren't ya?"

Amy Merrick shook her head, brown hair flying. "I'm in a hurry to get to Earth. What do you think it's like, Duo?"

The braided boy shrugged. "I dunno. Real weather?"

Amy sighed, exasperated. "Besides that?"

Again, Duo shrugged. He reached the catwalk, headed over, and handed her the wrench.

"Arigato."

"You're welcome." Duo plopped down on the cold metal and watched Amy tighten the joint, her back to him.

"Ya know, I tried to destroy Deathscythe last night."

Amy grinned in spite of herself. "I know. My mother told me."

Duo rolled his eyes. "I suppose she heard it from Professor G?"

"Uh-huh. You should be more careful setting charges, Duo."

The pilot of 02 grimaced. "I was! Ole' long nose stole 'em!"

Amy giggled. "You blame everything on 'Ole' long nose.' "

Duo waved his arms around in exasperation. "Most of it's his fault!"

Done with the joint, Amy turned to face him. "Are you still going? To Earth, I mean."

Duo grinned. "Hell yeah. I got different orders, but I'm still going."

Amy lowered her voice. "Destroy OZ, right?"

Duo almost fell off the catwalk. "Shit! How'd ya know?"

"My mother changed my orders this morning. 'Don't worry about the colonies. Destroy them first. That's your responsibility.' Sound about right?"

Duo nodded. Amy sighed as she looked up at Kage. "Guess we're about ready, ne, guys?"

Duo grinned wickedly. "Me and Deathscythe are. I dunno about that hunk of gundanium. Don't you need to tweak the AI before you leave?"

The brown haired girl shook her head. "Did it this morning at 0200 hours. Took me 'til 0400. My mother did a hell of a job. D'ya know the thing was set to pull me out if more than five explosions occurred during a battle? How'm I supposed to destroy OZ if my gundam freaks and takes me home?" 

Duo chuckled. "It's why Deathscythe doesn't have AI. Too much of a pain in the ass."

Amy reached over and smacked him in the arm. "You're a pain in the ass, ya know that Maxwell?"

Duo tried to bow sitting down, and failed miserably. "At your service, my lady."

Amy laughed. Duo suddenly looked serious, and she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Don't get killed, huh? You're the only family I've got."

Amy smiled and touched his arm. 

"Promise."

********************************************************************

__

Amy Merrick vividly remembered the day she'd been told she had a half-brother. It was July 16th, AC 194. Professor G had been running Duo through battle simulations most of the day. Professor Kara Merrick, Amy's mother, had made a comment about Duo's father. Amy had asked how she could know such a thing considering that Duo was an orphan, and said he didn't even remember his parents. Then came the biggest shock of her young life.

"Amy..." Kara Merrick looked decidedly uncomfortable. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you..."

"What?" She took a sip of soda and waited for her mother's startling revelation. Amy had heard a few over the years, and she was never very impressed by them.

"Duo's father...is your father too."

"What?" The soda she'd been drinking slipped from her hand. The can clattered on the floor, spilling the remaining cola everywhere. 

Kara turned away from her daughter. "He was married to a woman named Sonja. They were both mechanics working on the prototype of Deathscythe. He and I..."

She didn't need to finish. Amy knew. It wasn't hard to guess. 

"He cheated on his wife."

"Yes."

"But Duo and I are only weeks apart."

"Yes. He didn't know Sonja was pregnant."

Amy found herself looking at the spilled cola. "Has anyone told Duo?"

"Professor G was planning to after Operation Meteor was over."

Amy looked up and shook her head vehemently. "No. Tell him now."

Kara looked distressed. "It could distract him from the mission..."

"You told me. Aren't you afraid I'll be distracted from the mission?"

Kara didn't answer.

Amy paled slightly. "You aren't going to send me, are you? After all that work on Kage..."

Her mother whirled around. "We've found a very dedicated pilot for Kage. Operation Meteor won't fail."

Amy was incensed. "Are you saying I'm not dedicated? And Kage is my gundam!"

Kara reached out for her daughter. "Amy, please, try and understand..."

"No!" Amy pulled out of her mother's reach. "I'm going to Earth, in Kage, to carry out Operation Meteor. And if you don't tell Duo the truth now, I will."

Kara told Duo less than ten minutes later, in her office. Amy sat on a stool in an empty lab and watched through the soundproof glass separating the two.

Although she couldn't hear anything, the way Duo angrily waved his arms about and pointed accusingly at her mother was enough. After about fifteen minutes he stormed out of the room and disappeared. 

Amy went searching and found him in his bedroom. He looked like he'd been crying.

"Duo?"

"Yeah?" He sat up on his bed and just looked at her. She found herself looking at the floor. 

"I'm really sorry...I didn't know myself 'til today..."

Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her, and she realized she was being hugged. She hadn't even heard him get off the bed.

"Don't be sorry. This isn't your fault. They lied to us. We're in this together, right?"

Amy hugged him back. "All the way, Duo. All the way."

Duo pulled back a little and grinned happily. "Ya know, it's kinda cool having a sister."

Amy couldn't help but to smile back. "Yeah. It's great having a brother."

She hugged him again, as hard as she could.

************************************************************************

April 7, AC 195 12:25 am

Duo pushed the keypad next to Amy's room. The doors slid open, revealing absolute blackness until his eyes adjusted. Then he could make out a prone lump on the bed.

"Oi! Amy-chan!"

The lump groaned and rolled over. "G'way."

"It's time."

A sigh from the bed indicated that the lump was about to go back to sleep. Duo smirked.

What he was about to say was bound to get a reaction. 

"Operation Meteor."

Amy sat up, tangled herself in the blankets trying to get out of bed, and fell off.

"Ow!"

Duo chuckled as he stepped inside, then slapped the wallplate on the left hand wall. Light flooded the room and Amy blinked.

"Now?"

"Uh-huh."

"It's 12:25 in the morning! I only went to sleep three hours ago!"

"Ya shoulda gone to bed earlier. 'Sides, I'm only following orders. To be specific, 'Go wake up your sister.' "

"You certainly did that." Amy was still trying to extricate herself from the blankets. Duo continued to smirk. 

"Need some help with that?"

Amy glared at him. "No. Get out. I need to get dressed, baka."

Duo nodded. "All right. See ya in a few."

He stepped out and hit the keypad again. The doors slid closed behind him. He stuck around in the hall while she changed, and was amused by the amount of swearing he heard as drawers were opened, then shut. A noise like she'd fallen into something made him wince. "You okay in there?" 

The only reply was a curse that made his eyebrows rise. My, my, such language. Where ever did she pick that up? He supposed Kara was right to a certain extent about him being a bad influence on her little baby. 

Amy emerged only five minutes later, dressed and annoyed. "12:25 in the morning? They couldn't have picked a better time?" Duo shrugged as they began the short walk towards B-1, the hangar where Kage was stored.

"Hey. We're leaving at different times. I wanted to say goodbye right before we climbed in our gundams."

Duo smiled at her. "It's okay. We'll say goodbye when I drop you off, and we can talk a little once you've launched."

Amy glanced at him suspiciously. "How? They won't let _you_ near a com line."

Duo smirked evilly. "I stole a hand-held com link outta your mother's office. She won't miss it. Okay?"

Amy considered, bit her lip. "Okay. But you'd better answer."

They were standing outside the doors to B-1 now. Duo hugged her tight. "Remember your promise."

Amy nodded. "I will. You too, ne?"

Duo's grin was as mischievous as she'd ever seen it. "Shinigami doesn't die."

The pilot of Kage shook her head. "Make sure he doesn't."

The doors began to open as Duo released her. He gave her a gentle shove towards them and the chaos inside. "Goodbye and good luck."

Amy took a few steps inside the bustling hangar and turned to look at him. "You too."

The doors closed, and Amy felt like she'd just been sealed in her tomb.

*************************************************************************

She was still staring straight ahead when her attention was diverted by her mother, who came rushing up. "Are you awake? Good. You'll be launching in 10."

Amy groaned. "I think this is too early. How about 5:30 instead?"

Professor Merrick shook her head. "We've talked about this. The Gundams have to pass for meteorites. 5:30 is much too late for where you're going."

Amy opened her mouth to argue further, but what came out was, "What is he doing in Kage's cockpit?" She had just noticed the mechanic half in and half out of her gundam.

"Hey! Get the hell outta my gundam!"

The mechanic pulled out, saw her, and began to lower himself by the cable. 

"What was he doing in there?" She demanded of her mother.

"Just making a few small adjustments, on my orders." Kara was smiling slightly.

"Like hell!"

Amy stalked over to Kage and let the cable pull her up to the cockpit. She clambered inside, seated herself as the cockpit door shut, and began a diagnostic systems check.

"Amy, we don't have time for that now," her mother warned over the com line. Amy sighed. Her mother was right. Well, whatever she'd done, Amy would just have to fix it later, on Earth. Cripes. She buckled her harness.

"We added a switch to Kage," her mother said. "You'll find it next to the com link."

Amy was curious. "Yeah? What's it do?"

"It allows you to turn Kage's AI on and off. I recommend you leave it on. It's important that-"

Amy sighed and flipped the com link off. Her next act was to pull a disk out of her jacket and insert it into the slot just beneath the console. She hoped no one had disabled it. A message flashed across the screen. 

Enable internal speakers? Y / N

She typed yes, then received another message.

Enable external speakers? Y / N

She grinned wickedly and typed yes.

Enable voice recognition? Y / N

"Yes."

'Voice recognition enabled' flashed across the screen. Amy smirked.

Play disk? Y / N

"Yes," she whispered, still smirking. 'Time runs wild' began to blast from the external speakers. It was a very old Earth song that Duo had procured for her a few months ago. 

It was blasting from the internals as well, and Amy grimaced until she adjusted those to a comfortable level. 

"Enable view screens."

The picture was hilarious. Everyone in the hangar was covering their ears, and her mother looked furious. Even without the com line open, Amy could still read her mother's lips as she yelled at her.

"Amy Liana Merrick, turn that off! You're launching in less than a minute! This is no time to fool around!"

She made a face but turned off the disk. "I never get to have any fun around here," she muttered. Duo would've loved that. She opened the com line.

A technician's voice crackled over the line. "All systems are green. Ten seconds until launch."

Amy blinked. Ten seconds? Holy shit. This was really happening. Until this point, it had felt more like a dream.

"Ten - Nine - Eight -"

Amy double checked her harness.

"Seven - Six - Five -"

__

Oh God I'm scared. The hangar doors began to open.

"Four - Three - Two -"

Amy made sure the AI was turned on and took a deep breath, then let it out. 

__

Please don't let me die. I want to see Earth.

"One - Zero - Launch!"

Amy pushed forward on the throttle and the thrusters ignited. Kage shot up out of the hangar like a bat out of hell (Duo's favorite saying) and into the vastness of space. 


	2. Arrival

Standard disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. I am a poor, unemployed college student. Please do not sue. However, Kage, Professor Merrick, and Amy Merrick are my creations, along with anyone new who happens to show up later in this story. Please ask my permission before you use them.

Notes: This fic is rated PG-13 for mild violence (it'll be in here somewhere, I'm sure) mild language, and the possibility of implied yaoi (boy x boy) relationships. See glossary below. Also, this fic is obviously Alternate Universe. Past scenes/ thoughts will be in italics.

Glossary: Some words used are Japanese. In case you don't know them, here they are.

Kage - Shadow

Ne - All right, Isn't it, Hey, depending on context.

Imouto - Younger sister

Iie - No

Arigato - Thank you

Baka - Idiot, Stupid

(Also, using part of a song by Pat Benatar, "Invincible". Please don't sue.)

Gundam 06 (Working title) by Manic Grasshopper

Chapter Two

She was shooting towards Earth incredibly fast. She remembered what Duo had said and tried to contact him.

"Duo? Are you there? Duo!"

There was nothing but static on the line for almost a minute, and her gut clenched. _What if they found the com link on him and took it away? _

"So how do you like the view?" Duo's voice broke into her fear, and for a moment she almost cried in relief. 

"It's beautiful. How long 'til I reach it?"

"Not long. Twenty, twenty-five minutes. I think."

Amy was surprised. "That soon? And what do you mean, 'you think'?"

Duo chuckled and avoided her second question but answered her first. 

"That's science for ya. I'm headed for North America later today. Where're you headed?"

Amy grinned to herself. "Europe. Not bad for a poor colony girl, eh?"

Duo sighed. "Yeah, and this poor colony boy ends up on the Pacific Ocean. What a bitch."

"Ha! Pacific Ocean! I know where you're headed Duo!"

"No you don't. Besides, if we're gonna play this little game, why don't you tell me where you're _specifically_ headed, and maybe I'll tell you where I'm _really_ going." 

Amy could just picture him smirking. "Fine, but if you get caught you disallow any knowledge of me and my whereabouts. Deal?"

"You're no fun at all. Deal. Where're you going?"

"Europe."

She heard Duo groan in frustration, and she laughed. "Don't worry, I'll forget I have a semi-idea of where _you're_ off to."

Deathscythe's pilot muttered something under his breath. Amy smiled happily. She was beginning to feel less nervous about this whole thing.

"We should probably cut this transmission in a minute. You-know-who could be listening in."

There was a muffled snicker from Duo. "You-know-who probably couldn't decode a child's code."

Amy shook her head while trying not to giggle. "Anyway, be careful, ne?"

"Ya. You too, imouto-chan."

"Hey! I'm only two weeks younger than you!"

Duo chuckled wickedly. "Makes no difference. See ya!"

The com line went back to static.

Amy sighed as she switched it off. About twenty-five minutes 'til she reached Earth, huh? Well, time for a little music then.

"Activate disk."

****

"Negative. This is not an appropriate time."

The voice that suddenly filled the cockpit was deep and almost robotic. Amy drew in her breath in a hiss.

"Kage, activate the disk!"

****

"Negative."

"Look, who's the pilot here? Activate the disk or I'll take you off line."

The disk began to play a few seconds later, and Amy smirked. "Skip to track seven."

There was an almost silent whirring noise, and her favorite song on the disk began.

"This bloody road remains a mystery

This sudden darkness fills the air

What are we waiting for?

Won't anybody help us?

What are we waiting for?

We can't afford to be innocent

Stand up and face the enemy

It's a do or die situation

We will be invincible..."

By the second verse Amy was singing full out. If Kage had been able to seethe with disapproval, she suspected he would have been. When the song was over she ordered the player back to track two, "It's my time to fly." She belted out on that one too. Almost her entire trip consisted of singing and watching the Earth come ever closer. A proximity alarm sounded when she was about two miles from entering the atmosphere. She sighed dejectedly. Time to get serious.

"Kage, deactivate disk."

****

"Acknowledged."

The music stopped, and Amy checked the coordinates she'd been given against the map on her vid screen. A forest. She was going to land her beautiful Kage in a forest?

__

Ah well, better than a lake, I guess. 

* * *

A half-hour later she had landed silently, and, she hoped, unseen. Nothing but trees for miles in every direction. She unbuckled her harness and squirmed around in her seat. There was a storage compartment back here...where was the switch? Ah, there. Her fingers tripped it and the door swung open, revealing a green backpack and behind that, camouflage netting. She sneered at it. God. She had to find a way to hide Kage with this stuff? Amy closed her eyes for a moment. Well, she was a gundam pilot, wasn't she? There were some things she'd been trained for and some she hadn't. Covering an enormous mobile suit with netting was one of the latter. She'd think of some way to get it on him. Amy pulled her backpack and the netting out of the compartment and closed it. Everything she needed was in this bag - well, everything her mother thought she needed. A hand-held com link for receiving missions, a map and compass, a flashlight, some money, ammo, and her gun. Well, not hers actually, but an extra that Duo had lent her. Everything else in the bag was stuff that _she_ considered vital to her sanity down here - a change of clothes, a hairbrush, her cd player with a couple cds, and her favorite manga. Not like she could read much of it, but still...the pictures were nice. Amy managed to turn herself around with her bundle without kicking anything vital to the gundam. Like, say, a self-destruct button. She sweatdropped. She _had _to get going. It was three miles or more to the nearest town, and she had to find somewhere to crash for a while. She was also supposed to enroll in school as soon as possible. It didn't really matter _which_ school, as long as it wasn't a boarding school. Those weren't her orders, Amy just felt that a boarding school made her a sitting duck for OZ. She didn't even _have _specific orders yet...just report back when she was settled. 

"Kage, open the hatch."

****

"Acknowledged."

The viewscreens moved as the hatch lowered. Amy grasped the cable one handed and lowered herself down. Once on the ground she dumped her things and looked up at her gundam in the starlight. 

"Huh. How do we do this?" She muttered to herself. Then she had an idea.

"Kage, close the hatch and kneel on one knee."

The gundam did so. Amy grinned. 

"Keep a com line open, and monitor for any OZ activity. All external proximity alarms on silent and routed to my com-link."

The com in her backpack beeped. Good.

"Hyperjammers remain on. Commence shut down of all non-vital systems for now."

Kage's eyes flared green then faded.

Now, to hide him. This took a bit of doing, and Amy found herself wishing several times as she clambered over the giant mobile suit that she was a gymnast. Finally the netting was in place and secured, so she climbed off and sat on the ground to catch her breath. 

Amy pulled open her bag, pulled out the flashlight and map, and began to consult it. Someone had been kind enough to mark off her landing coordinates with a small black x.

Her mother, no doubt. Okay, so the closest town / city was...ah, here. Bedford. Goody. A six mile walk. Amy wanted to cry. _I'm tired, I wanna sleep, damn it! _She fought it back and pulled a granola bar out of her pocket, ripped open the wrapper and bit into it. She chewed while she refolded the map and stuck it back in her bag. Still chewing, Amy peered at her compass by the light of her flashlight. Okay, so North. She turned off the flashlight and stuffed it along with the compass into her jacket. The half-eaten granola bar went into another pocket and she stood, slinging her backpack over one shoulder. She didn't suppose she needed her gun now, it was still dark, but...Amy shook her head and fished her gun and an extra clip of ammo out, shoved them in her jacket, then re-slung the backpack over her shoulder.

__

And off I go. She began to head North.


	3. Settling In

Standard disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. I am a poor, unemployed college student. Please do not sue. However, Kage, Professor Merrick, and Amy Merrick are my creations, along with anyone new who happens to show up later in this story. Please ask my permission before you use them.

Notes: This fic is rated PG-13 for mild violence (it'll be in here somewhere, I'm sure) mild language, and the possibility of implied yaoi (boy x boy) relationships. Also, this fic is obviously Alternate Universe. Past scenes/ thoughts will be in italics.

Extra Note: I have never been to Bedford, England. I did some research, but please forgive forests that don't really exist, or Bed and Breakfasts that just happen to be where Amy Liana comes into town. Consider it artistic license. Besides, by the time this story takes place, maybe Bedford _would_ be like this.

Gundam 06 by Manic Grasshopper

Chapter Three: Settling In

Amy arrived in Bedford approximately one hour and thirty-eight minutes after the sun had risen. The sky was overcast; rain looked imminent. Amy hoped she found shelter before it started. _I am **so **wasted._ She thought wearily. She'd made the six miles in about four hours, a terrible time for her. Her personal best was one mile in fifteen minutes, carrying a backpack heavier than this. Then, however, she hadn't been bordering on exhaustion. Amy wanted more than anything to find an inn, or even an alley, and collapse for the day. She dragged her feet down the sidewalk, not really looking at the buildings, just signs. Off to her right was a house that advertised itself as a Bed & Breakfast. 

__

Oh, thank God. Amy crossed the street, dragged herself up the building's steps, and through the door.

* * *

The woman behind the counter had been surprised to see a young girl come stumbling through the front door at fifteen past six in the morning. She didn't look any older than fifteen, and she'd leaned against the counter for support as she requested a room. The woman had asked her to fill out a registration form, and watched quietly as the girl shakily did so before passing it back. She'd paid for the room just as unsteadily, accepted the key, and headed towards the stairs. 

"Would you like some help, dear? You look worn out."

The girl had turned her head and smiled slightly. 

"No, thank you. I can manage."

She'd then trudged up the stairs and out of sight.

__

Poor thing, looks like she walked all of England to get here. 

She decided to check on her in the evening.

* * *

Amy let herself into her room, locked the door, then pushed the desk chair under the doorknob. She made sure the window was locked, dumped her backpack on the closet shelf, slid out of her jacket, and gratefully crawled into bed. Seconds later she was asleep, while rain pattered quietly against the windowpane.

* * *

Amy awoke that evening to a light tapping on her door. Instinct was to roll silently out of bed and grab her gun out of her jacket pocket, then click the safety off. Her next move was to cross to the door and flatten herself against the wall next to it. 

"Who is it?" She was surprised her voice was so steady while her heart was pounding. OZ couldn't have found her already?

"My name is Mrs. Williams, dear. I brought you some dinner. You looked positively wretched this morning. I thought you'd be hungry when you woke up."

Amy relaxed a little. She recognized the voice from this morning. And now that she'd mentioned it, she _was_ hungry. 

"Just a minute."

She tucked her gun into the back of her jeans after putting the safety back on, then pulled her shirt over it. OZ _couldn't _have found her yet. She was being paranoid. Then again, hadn't Duo said that all good gundam pilots were paranoid? Except him, of course. He was spectacular, so he didn't need to be paranoid. He'd been smirking when he said it, and she'd given his braid a good yank for it. Her stomach rumbled, bringing her back to the present. She moved the chair and began to unlock the door. Maybe the food was poisoned? 

__

Oh, I don't **care**. At least I'll die with a full stomach. Amy opened the door.

The woman standing on the other side was in her mid-sixties, a little plump, with gray hair that had a few streaks of blonde running through it. Her blue eyes were almost sparkling with happiness. She was holding a tray of food and smiling at Amy.

"Good evening, dear. I just brought up some soup and cornbread."

"Oh, thanks." Amy was practically drooling. Soup and cornbread beat the hell out of a granola bar any day. Amy stepped aside to let Mrs. Williams in. She went inside and set the tray on the desk before turning around to look at Amy. 

"Goodness, you could do with a shower. Your hair's a mess."

Amy flushed. She must look terrible after walking six miles. Mrs. Williams chuckled. "It's not _that_ bad, child. Just eat and wash up."

She smiled at her and began to leave. Amy waited until she was almost out the door before speaking.

"Mrs. Williams? Thank you again."

The older woman simply smiled.

"Think nothing of it. If you need anything, you just let me know, all right?"

"Okay - but - I leave tomorrow. I don't think there's much I'll need."

Mrs. Williams appraised her knowingly.

"I don't suppose you have anywhere to stay after you leave here."

"Actually," Amy thought of Kage in the forest, six miles away. "Not really."

"Well then," and Mrs. Williams' face brightened, "you just stay here then, as long as you like."

Amy was dumbfounded. "But the money - I couldn't afford to pay you - "

Mrs. Williams shook her head. "Forget about the money. Accept an old woman's generosity."

Amy found herself smiling. "Thank you, I will."

"Not a problem. Besides, it'll be nice to have a young one around the house." 

She stepped out and shut the door. Amy locked the door again and turned to the desk. Dinner first, then a shower. After that, she'd take Mrs. Williams up on her offer, and find out where the closest high school was. She had a lot to do. 


	4. A welcome surprise...and school. Yuck.

Standard disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. I am a poor, unemployed college student. Please do not sue. However, Kage, Professor Merrick, and Amy Merrick are my creations, along with anyone new who happens to show up later in this story. Please ask my permission before you use them.

Notes: This fic is rated PG-13 for mild violence (it'll be in here somewhere, I'm sure) mild language, and the possibility of implied yaoi (boy x boy) relationships.

Also, this fic is obviously Alternate Universe. Past scenes/ thoughts will be in italics.

Warning for chapter four: Some of the language isn't so mild this time. ^-^;;

Glossary: Gomen - Sorry

'Niisan - Older brother

Gundam 06 by Manic Grasshopper

Chapter Four - A welcome surprise...and school. Yuck.

"High schools? Well, there are two, Bedford High School for Girls and Biddenham Upper School. They both require uniforms, and the tuition is expensive. If you can't pay me to stay here, how will you pay your term fees?"

Amy and Mrs. Williams ("Call me Victoria, if you'd like.") were sitting in the parlor, drinking tea and watching full night settle outside the window. The lights in the parlor made it seem cheery and comfortable.

"Well - I _have_ a way - but -"

"You'd rather not talk about it, eh? All right." Mrs. Williams sipped her tea, then continued. "Bedford requires an entrance exam, last I heard. Also references. Oh, and if you're a day student, you'll need a guardian."

Amy's face fell. "Oh. Guess they'd have to meet them in person, right?"

Mrs. Williams nodded. "But that's not so hard, is it? Just tell them on the forms that you're here from - well, wherever you're from - to help your poor grandmother out at her inn."

Amy's eyes widened. "Oh, I couldn't! Besides, don't people around here know you? Friends? They'd know you don't have a granddaughter."

"Tsk tsk, child. You have your secrets, I have mine. Let me show you something."

Mrs. Williams eased out of her chair and crossed the room to a shelf full of framed pictures. She came back with two and handed them to Amy.

The first showed a blonde girl about twenty, smiling and wearing a floral dress. 

"This is my daughter. She was always the smartest in her class at school. Wanted to be a scientist. She moved to the colonies a few months after this was taken."

There was something oddly familiar about the girl. Amy wasn't sure, but there was _something... _

Mrs. Williams pointed to the second picture. "This is one she sent me about thirteen years ago. That's my granddaughter she's holding. Her name is Amy Liana."

Amy almost choked. She looked up at Mrs. Williams in disbelief. "You knew? You knew who I was and didn't say anything?"

"Well, I wasn't sure at first. You signed the registration form Amy L. Merrick, and the L could have stood for anything. But the last name Merrick, that was a clue. Kara always said she hated the name Williams, and before she left she changed it to Merrick. But it's your eyes, Amy, that gave you away. You have your mother's eyes."

Amy thought about that. She did - the same impossibly midnight blue eyes as her mother. That had been why the picture had seemed familiar.

"I think I have my father's hair, though," she said, tugging a dark strand. Mrs. Williams - or rather, her grandmother, smiled. "Oh, you do. Kara sent me a picture just once. Here, I'll go get it." 

Her grandmother got up and went back to the shelf. After sifting through some loose photos, she returned with one and placed it in Amy's trembling hand. 

The picture showed a group of men and women, all in greasy coveralls, smiling. They stood against a hangar door that read E-2. Her mother stood in the center, looking stern, like Amy remembered her. She didn't look pregnant - maybe she wasn't showing yet, or Amy had already been born. She turned the picture over. On the back was a note written in her mother's neat hand: 

__

My crew and I. We're really making progress here, but that's all I can tell you. The baby's father is the one next to me on my left. Sorry I can't tell you his name, but secrecy is important. I shouldn't even be sending you this. Make sure no one else ever sees it.

It wasn't signed. 

Amy turned the picture back over and studied the man next to her mother. She gasped. He had her hair and Duo's eyes! 

__

Oh, Duo, you're not gonna believe this...

She wanted desperately to contact him and tell him about this, but there was no way...unless...

"Mrs. - I mean, grandma? Is there a bike laying around here someplace? I need to run an errand."

Her grandmother shook her head. "It's a bit too dark for that right now. Can it wait until morning?"

Amy sighed. "I guess. I suppose I should head up to bed. I'd like to enroll in school tomorrow."

Her grandmother smiled. "That's good. We'll take the car about ten. Did you decide which school?"

Amy shrugged as she rose from her chair. "Bedford High School, I guess."

"All right then. Sleep tight, dear." Her grandmother hugged her. "It's so good to see you," she whispered. "That picture of you as a little girl is the only one I have."

Amy closed her eyes a moment. "It's good to see you too."

She wanted to say, "It's good to know I have a grandmother," but she didn't want to upset Victoria by telling her that Kara had never mentioned her existence. Amy pulled away and started out of the room.

"Amy?" She stopped and turned back.

"Promise me we'll take some pictures together, hmm? In the rose garden out back."

Amy's throat was tight. If OZ ever came here and found pictures of her with her grandmother, they could hold Victoria hostage. They would hurt her. _They might even - _

Amy swallowed and nodded. "Okay. G'night, grandma."

"Goodnight."

Amy hurried out of the room and up the stairs. Once in her bedroom, she let the tears fall.

* * *

Morning seemed to come all too soon for Amy. She'd spent most of the night awake in bed, wishing she could get to Kage and contact Duo, and wondering what her father - _their_ father - was like. Was he even still alive? The only person who might know the answer to that was her mother. After she was settled for school, she'd contact her mother about her mission - and ask about her father.

* * *

Taking a shower, dressing, and stuffing her jeans with a loaded gun took up most of her morning. The comlink went in her jacket pocket. At 9:30 she sat in the dining room with two other guests and ate her cereal. Her grandmother puttered back and forth, making sure everyone was taken care of. Amy finished her cereal at 9:45 and carried the bowl into the kitchen, where she rinsed it and set it on the counter to be washed later. The two guests checked out at 9:50 and 10:00. After they were gone, Victoria hung a 'closed' sign on the door. 

"We're getting a later start than planned, but it's all right. Bedford High isn't that far from here - you'll be able to take a bike."

Amy nodded and followed her grandmother outside to the car.

***

The headmistress, Mrs. Brixton, looked over Amy's forms while Victoria and Amy sat in chairs in front of the desk. Amy's hands were sweating while Victoria looked completely at ease. Mrs. Brixton perused a minute more, then looked up. "Everything looks fine. She'll just need to take the entrance exam. We can enroll her right away once she's passed it."

"When is the next exam?" Victoria asked.

"There's one scheduled in ten minutes, actually. Room 27. Do you think you can find it on your own?"

Victoria stood, and Amy followed. "Of course. My daughter attended this school for five years. Thank you, Mrs. Brixton."

Amy smiled politely. "Yes, thank you ma'am."

Mrs. Brixton rose and crossed around her desk to hold the door open for them. Victoria and Amy left the room and proceeded down the hall.

"I hate tests."

Victoria chuckled. "Oh, you'll do fine. You're a smart girl."

Amy shook her head. "You don't know that, grandma."

Victoria was smiling. "They don't pick dumb people to pilot gundams," She said softly. Amy stopped dead in her tracks. "What? Grandma -"

Victoria stopped and turned to look at her granddaughter. "Think I'm too old to do research? I spoke on a vid phone with your mother last night. She admitted what you were here to do. I don't agree with it, but I can't stop you."

Amy shook her head. "Pretend you don't know, _please. _I don't want you to get hurt. Please -" Victoria went over and hugged her. "You don't worry about me, child. Take care of what you're here to do. Right now, you have a test to take. Let's go, hmm?"

She let go of Amy and showed her the way down the hall.

***

An hour later Amy was scowling at an algebra problem. Smart, huh? Not in math, that was for sure. She'd whizzed through English, History, and most of Science, but this was impossible. What the hell did they mean, 'write an equation in quadratic form'? She sighed, then nearly jumped a foot in the air when she felt a gentle touch on her arm. She looked up to see a girl her age smiling at her. 

__

'Don't worry.' She mouthed, pointing to the annoyance in question. Amy smiled back, nodded, and decided to skip the problem. She finished the rest of the test half-an-hour later, and was excused to waitoutside. Her grandmother was nowhere in sight. _I wonder if she went back to talk to the headmistress. _She sat on the bench outside the classroom and stared at the floor. _I am **so** bored. _She considered pacing the hall for something to do, but then the classroom door opened and the girl who'd been sitting next to her came out. Amy got up and went over to her.

"Hi. Umm, thanks for earlier - I was really stuck on that problem. I'm terrible at math."

The girl grinned. She was pretty, light brown hair, green eyes. "You're welcome. I'm awful at it too. I'm Anne Moren, by the way."

"Amy Merrick. Nice to meet you."

They shook hands, then grinned at each other. "You don't sound British," Anne said. "Where are you from?"

Amy considered for a moment, then decided it couldn't hurt. She'd only just met her, but she trusted Anne already. That didn't happen often. In fact, she could name only three people she had trusted on sight - Duo, her grandmother, and Anne.

"L2 colony."

Anne's eyes widened. "Really? My mother was born there, but she came to Earth when she was 20. She met my dad in America while she was working as a kindergarten teacher. My dad used to teach the kindergarten across the hall, and the two classes would go on field trips together."

Amy found herself grinning again. "_That_ sounds romantic. So why are you in England?"

Something dark passed behind Anne's eyes for a second, then disappeared. "My mother died two years ago, so my father moved us here and started his own business."

Amy felt a pang deep in her heart. _We're almost the same... _

"I'm really sorry about your mother. What does your father do?"

Anne made a face. "You know those mobile suits the military uses? He supplies transport trucks for them to the Alliance. I don't really agree with it, but it pays well. We have a nice house."

Something in her voice made Amy study Anne more intently. "But you don't want the house."

Anne shrugged. "To be honest, I'd be happier in a cardboard box."

More girls began to spill out the door. Amy looked around curiously. "I came with my grandmother. I wonder where she went?"

Anne laughed. "She's probably with the other parents, sweating out whether we'll make it in or not. You should have _seen_ my dad this morning. 'Are you sure you studied enough? What's 3x4?' Like I'd forget _that_."

Amy snickered, then stopped as she heard her name being called. She looked past Anne to see Victoria wading through the mass of would-be students and their parents. "There you are! So many people here, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find you."

Amy waited until Victoria reached them, then made introductions. "Grandma, this is Anne Moren. Anne, this is my grandmother, Victoria Williams."

Anne held out a hand. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am." Victoria waved a hand before shaking Anne's. "Oh, never mind that nonsense. Just call me Victoria." Anne nodded. "All right."

Victoria glanced over at Amy. "Seems you've made a nice friend. Why don't you exchange numbers, then we'll be on our way. We've a bit of grocery shopping to do."

Amy smiled at her grandmother. "Okay." She looked back at Anne. "Got any paper?"

Anne fumbled in her purse. "Yeah, hold on..." She pulled out an old receipt and scribbled on one half, then held it out to Amy. She stared at it for a moment, then grinned sheepishly at Victoria.

"Umm, grandma, I don't know the number." Victoria laughed and wrote it down for her. Anne tore the paper in half and gave Amy the side with her number on it. "Don't be surprised if a maid answers. Just ask for me."

"'Kay."

Anne studied her for a minute. "How come you don't know your own number?"

Again Amy looked sheepish. "I just moved in recently."

Just the faintest hint of a smile played around Anne's lips. "Oh, well, I'll have to show you around Bedford, then. See ya!" She began to head toward a man about twenty feet away. Amy called after her. "See you! And I won't forget your offer!"

Anne raised a hand as she reached her father and then they were swallowed up in the crowd. Victoria patted Amy on the back. "Come along, dear. We'll get lunch first and then do the shopping."

"When will I find out if I passed the exam?"

"A week or so. Don't worry, I know you passed." They headed out to the parking lot.

__

A week? Might as well be eternity.

***

"Amy! Child, the mail's here!"

Amy jumped up from her bed where she'd been trying to read her manga and hurried out of the room. It had been almost a week since she'd taken the exam. She'd talked to Anne everyday since then, and yesterday they'd gone shopping for a bike for Amy, courtesy of her grandmother. It was a silver ten-speed, and Amy loved it. The day after the exam her grandmother had hired a photographer to take formal pictures of the two of them in the rose garden. Amy had one framed on her dresser. She was thoroughly enjoying being a normal teenage girl, and she knew it wouldn't last. She was well aware of the fact that she needed to contact her mother for her mission orders as soon as she received the exam results. She was dreading their arrival but also eagerly awaiting it. She skidded to a halt in front of the check-in counter as Victoria handed her a pile of envelopes.

"You might as well go through all of them yourself this time - your eyes are better than mine, anyway."

Amy began to flip through the pile. Electricity bill, water bill, garbage bill, a letter addressed to her, scrawled in Duo's familiar scratch. She stopped, blinked. Duo had sent her a _letter_? Was he nuts? She set it aside, face down, and kept going. The second-to-last envelope had the return address of the school on it. 

"Here it is!" Amy cried, and ripped it open. 

"Well?" Victoria was behind the counter, and she leaned forward eagerly as Amy unfolded the paper and read it.

"I passed!" The letter fell on the counter as she ran around it to hug her grandmother. Victoria hugged her tight. "I knew you would. Are you going to call Anne?"

"Yeah, but there's something I've gotta do first." Her eyes strayed to Duo's letter as she pulled away. Victoria noticed. "Who's that one from?"

Amy decided to be honest about it. "My half-brother."

Victoria's eyes widened. "Your mother didn't mention you had a brother."

Amy shook her head. "No, I don't suppose she would have. Call her again and ask if you want, but I'm not going to get involved right now."

Victoria studied Amy for a moment before speaking. "It's just as well. I'll call your mother later. You go enjoy your letter. I hope it's good news."

"Yeah, me too." Amy grabbed Duo's letter on her way around the counter, leaving the acceptance notice with her grandmother. She practically ran up the stairs to her room. What was Duo _doing_, sending her a letter? He could've beeped Kage, she would've been notified. Besides, how'd he _find_ her, anyway? 

__

Oh, like it matters, She thought as she pushed her door open. She knew it _did _matter, 'cause if Duo could find her then maybe so could OZ, but it wasn't something she wanted to think about now. She closed the door behind herself and flopped stomach first onto the bed. Amy found herself carefully studying the envelope. Yep, Duo's handwriting, all right. Actually, chicken scratch was probably more accurate. There was no return address. She opened the envelope, pulled out a thin sheet of paper, and began to read.

Dear imouto-chan,

How's it going? I've done one mission so far, had a blast. Got to blow up an OZ base. You can imagine they weren't too pleased. 'Course, I think most of 'em are dead now, so it doesn't really matter. I met another gundam pilot - a maniac that goes by the name of Heero Yuy. He's our age - don't know if you'd like him or not, the guy's kinda suicidal. I'll have to tell ya about that sometime. Actually, I think the three of us must have an underlying death wish to want to do this job. Wondering how I found you? My secret, ha ha. Don't worry, I don't think it's something OZ would come up with easily. How go the missions? Ya settle in good yet? Hope not, 'cause you'll just have to leave sooner or later, and in our case it's always sooner. You can e-mail me back through Kage. Just call up the main directory and type in 02D. It'll pull up a hidden file with an e-mail address. I installed the program about a week before they sent us down here. I've been kinda worried since I haven't heard from you - figured you woulda found the file by now - so respond, okay? 

Love ya tons, 

Duo

Amy refolded the letter and carefully placed it back in it's envelope, then got off the bed and went to the closet. She pulled her backpack down and put the letter in before pulling out her comlink. She checked Kage's status first - everything was fine - then input the code for her mother. 

A few seconds of static filled the line, then Kara answered. "Yes."

"Mom, it's me. I'm pretty well settled in, and I've got a school lined up - I start attending tomorrow. What do I do now?"

"There's an OZ base two miles outside of Bedford. The security is pretty low, despite the fact they manufacture mobile suits. Take it out."

Amy smirked to herself. "Ryoukai. Oh, mom, were you surprised to hear from grandma?"

There was a moment's hesitation on the line, then - "Yes, actually. I thought she'd be dead already."

Amy felt anger flare up in her. "Why? She's not sick."

"No, but she won't fight for herself. If OZ soldiers broke in there this minute, she wouldn't defend herself. She's a pacifist at heart."

Amy didn't like the tone in her mother's voice at all. "There's nothing wrong with not wanting to fight! Do you think I'd be doing this if there were any other choice?"

Her mother didn't answer. Amy bit her lip. "Mom?"

"Just drop the subject and fulfill your mission, Amy." 

"I'll accomplish the mission, and I'll drop the subject on grandma, but there's another I'd like to bring up. She showed me a picture of my father. You never told me his name."

Now Kara sounded angry. "You don't need to know it."

Amy briefly wished she was talking to her mother over a vid screen so she could flip her off. "Is he alive? Do you know where he is?" 

"That's not important. He was probably killed in one of the skirmishes on L2 after he and Sonja finished their work on Deathscythe."

Amy was outraged. "You don't even care, do you? He was a good fuck, and then the hell with him, is that it?"

"Amy Liana Merrick!"

"Well it's the truth, isn't it?" Amy was suddenly glad her mother couldn't see the tears on her face. "You might not give a damn about what happened to him, but it's important to me - and to Duo. He's our _father_, for God's sake." 

Kara sighed. "Amy Liana, we are dropping this subject _now_. Carry out your mission. I expect a full report when you're done."

The line went to static. Amy stared at the comlink for a moment, resisting the urge to throw it into a wall. She switched it off and dropped it into her backpack. 

"Screw someone else's husband, get pregnant with your very own gundam pilot." She muttered to herself. "Just add a gundam, and you're all set to go." 

She knew she should call Anne and tell her about school, to get her mind off this mess, but she felt like she would burst any second from anger. She wanted to talk to someone who would understand all of this. She wanted to talk to Duo. Amy wiped the tears from her eyes and put on her jacket. The picture of their father was taped to the dresser mirror. She pulled it off, then carefully placed it in her jacket's inside pocket. A few minutes later she was on her bike and headed toward Kage.

***

A while later, the bike was lying by Kage's feet, and Amy was in the cockpit of the massive black and metallic bronze gundam. She found the hidden file Duo had written her about, and sent him an e-mail telling him what her mother had said. Then she opened a com line to him. Maybe if she got lucky she wouldn't interrupt him in a battle or something.

"Duo? Oi, 'niichan!"

The com line clicked, then Duo answered. "Hey, imouto-chan! I just got your e-mail. Pardon my saying so, but your mother's being a real bitch."

Amy laughed weakly. "Yeah, tell me about it. You're not fighting OZ right now, are you?" She didn't put it past him to fight and try to listen to her problems at the same time.

"Hell no. Just makin' some repairs. You caught me at a good time. Somethin' ya wanted to tell me that wasn't in the e-mail?"

"Yeah. That and I needed to hear your voice."

She could imagine Duo smiling over the line.

"Well, seeing is good too. Lemme turn on my vid screen. Is yours on?"

Amy flipped a switch. "It is now."

"'Kay, just a sec..." A picture of Duo popped up, and he was grinning just like she'd imagined, but slightly covered in grease. He stared at her a second, then blinked. "Wow! You look pretty bad."

She sighed. "Thanks for making me feel better."

Duo winced. "Gomen. But really..."

Amy pulled the picture out of her jacket. "Duo, there's something you need to see. Look at the man to the left of my mother. Look at his eyes." She held the picture up so he could see it.

Duo's eyes widened, and he let out a low whistle. "Holy shit. That's not..."

Amy nodded. "It is. This is our father, Duo."

Duo blinked back tears. Amy almost began to cry herself and stopped, but not before a strangled sob escaped her throat. 

Duo shook his head. "Oi, Amy, don't cry. It's okay, really..." He reached out his hand like he wanted to touch her, then realized he couldn't. "Damn it."

Amy sniffled. Duo didn't smile, or joke, just sat in his gundam and watched her over the vid screen. A few minutes went by before he spoke.

"Do you know his name?"

Amy shook her head. "Iie. My mother wouldn't tell me. We have a right to know, and she said it wasn't important. I hate her."

"I'm not feelin' real fond of her myself right now either," Duo said, still watching his sister.

Amy forced herself to grin. "It's okay though. You know why? I'm gonna get her back for this."

Duo looked confused. "How?" 

Amy smirked. "Let's just say my priorities have changed."

"Huh?"

Amy shook her head. "Never mind. Just take care, all right? Keep in touch." She reached out her left hand and pressed it against the vid screen. After a moment, Duo mirrored her. He seemed concerned.

"Okay. Expect to hear from me."

Amy tried another smile; it didn't reach her eyes. "Lookin' forward to it." A few seconds later her com line went to static, and her vid screen went black. She sat there another minute before shutting off the communications equipment. Silence filled the cockpit. Her priorities had changed all right, ever since she'd met her grandmother.

"Kage."

****

"Yes."

"Block any transmissions with the end tag PKML2."

****

"Negative. These transmissions are necessary to allow you to fulfill your missions."

"Fuck my missions."

There was no response, and Amy half-grinned. Her mother hadn't programmed Kage to recognize swearing? Well, she'd have to change that, among other things. Kage sounded too damn robotic. It annoyed her.

"Kage, you're programmed to follow my orders, correct?"

****

"Correct."

"So do what I told you."

****

"Negative. The transmissions are necessary -"

Amy let out an exasperated groan and turned off the AI.

"You can stay like this until I fix your attitude, Kage," she said to the once again silent cockpit. She shut the non-vital systems off manually, then let herself out. Once the hatch was closed, she replaced the netting over it and climbed down. "I start my new life tomorrow, Kage. I'm not going to let my mother ruin it." Amy picked up her bike and headed back to town. Maybe if she pushed herself she could make it back in time to help her grandmother cook dinner.

***

The next morning Amy was dressed in her new school uniform, scowling at her reflection in the hallway mirror.

"I look like a dork."

Victoria shook her head and smoothed Amy's dark, straight hair. "No you don't. You look like a very pretty young lady."

"Blech. I hate skirts."

Victoria only chuckled before heading into the parlor. "You have your books, I trust?"

Amy rolled her eyes. Her new backpack weighed a ton. "Yeah."

"Your lunch?"

"Yes, grandma." Amy took another look at herself and frowned. The uniform was actually rather nice - white shirt, black blazer over that, with a crest on the left breast pocket, and a black and green plaid skirt that ended just above her knees. She was wearing a pair of black leather dress shoes with white ankle socks. Her dark brown hair had been pulled back with green barrettes, and midnight blue eyes glared at her reflection.

__

I always hated school on the colony. Why did I think this would be any different? But at least there I got to wear jeans.

Victoria's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Amy, did you eat?"

"Oatmeal, grandma."

"Just checking. Don't want you passing out in class from hunger, do we?"

Amy shrugged. She didn't really care. She had to leave in five minutes and suddenly she was scared to step out the door. _I thought this was the beginning of your new life?_

The doorbell rang just then, and Amy almost had a heart attack. _Who in the world..._

She went to the front door and pulled it open. Anne was standing on the porch, dressed identically except for her brown shoes. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail. She smiled at the sight of her friend. "Good morning. Ready to go?"

Amy was surprised. "What are you doing here?" 

Anne shrugged. "Figured you'd want a friend to ride with." She jerked her head towards the bikes on the porch. "Though, how they expect us to ride bikes in these _skirts_ -"

Amy laughed. "No kidding." She picked up her backpack and settled it in place over her shoulders. "Guess we'd better go. Bye grandma!"

"Goodbye, dear. Have a good day."

Amy wasn't so sure she would, but - "I will." Anne leaned around Amy to call into the parlor. "Goodbye Victoria! See you later!"

"Goodbye Anne. You look out for my granddaughter, all right?"

Anne giggled. "Don't worry about it. C'mon Amy, we've gotta go." She pulled her onto the porch and closed the door. "We're gonna be late if we don't move it." The girls grabbed their bikes, and after some awkward maneuvering, managed to get seated and pedaled off towards the school.


	5. Shattered Dream

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing doesn't belong to me. (I wish.) Kage, Professor Merrick, Amy Merrick, and anyone new who shows up are mine. Please ask before you use them.

Notes: Rated PG-13 for mild violence, which will show up sometime, mild language, and implied yaoi relationships. (Actually in this chapter! My god, I finally got around to it! Don't expect anything huge though...) Past scenes / thoughts will be in italics. This fic is AU, if you haven't realized it already... :)

Gundam 06 by Manic Grasshopper

Chapter 5: Shattered Dream 

Two weeks went by and Amy was a normal teenager - well, almost normal. Truly normal teenagers didn't carry comlinks in their school backpacks, or keep guns tucked in their jeans when they went shopping with their friends, just in case an OZ soldier jumped them. They also didn't spend their spare time tinkering with a Gundam. That was what Amy did, in-between school, and homework, helping her grandma, and hanging out with Anne. Most Sunday afternoons found her in the forest, sitting on the open hatch with cables leading out of the cockpit that were hooked up to a laptop she'd bought the same day she got her bike. Modifying Kage's programming was a pain - she was working on his speech patterns and voice. He was going to sound human, damn it, or as close to it as she could get. She'd stumbled across a tracking device when she'd first started, which she'd immediately removed and thrown out into the trees. Duo had been sending her regular e-mails about his missions and Amy wrote back a little, mostly about school and life with her grandma. Amy had noticed that when she read Duo's e-mails, he tended to mention Heero a lot. That always made her smile, because Duo would go on sometimes like someone with an enormous crush. She had wondered about it for a little bit, but became absolutely convinced that her brother was at least in lust with Heero if not in love when he wrote in one e-mail:

__

We're sharin' a dorm room at our new school, and I spend most of the time I should be studying just watchin' him sit at the desk, typing on his laptop. He doesn't like to be bothered when he's doing that, but every once in a while I'll say "Heero" just to get his attention, and my heart goes into my throat when he looks at me. He's usually glaring, but he has the most beautiful blue eyes, so I don't mind...

Amy had smirked at that paragraph, debating whether or not to send back an e-mail where the contents consisted only of 'Duo likes Heero', typed forty times. She figured that was pretty juvenile though, and instead sent a reply where the subject was simply, "In regards to Heero". The message itself was 'Duo and Heero sitting in a tree, K - I - S - S - I - N - G.' A day later she received a reply of, 'Not yet we aren't.' Amy had laughed so hard her ribs had ached.

On this particular Sunday she was shopping in a bookstore with Anne instead of working on Kage. She figured she had him in pretty good order for now. Anne picked up a swimsuit magazine, flipped through it, and made a face.

"Eww - Amy, look - silicone central."

Amy glanced over and snickered. The woman on the page wore a tight two-piece bathing suit, and _did_ look like she'd had breast implants. Anne dropped the magazine back on the shelf. "I don't believe they sell that here." 

Amy smirked evilly. "We should go into a liquor store and buy a _real_ magazine."

Anne turned three shades of pink before quickly picking up a book from a nearby shelf. Amy chuckled, then wandered over to her friend and stood a little on tiptoe behind her to see what she was reading.

" 'He pressed his hand against her breast, and her breath quickened,'" She read aloud. " ' His lips on her neck were soft...' Oh Anne, my, my."

Anne dropped the book like a hot coal and fled into the science fiction section. Amy followed immediately, apologizing.

"Gomen ne - I shouldn't have done that; it was mean."

Anne quit walking and turned. "Gomen what?"

Amy flushed. "Oh. Gomen ne. It means sorry. It's Japanese. I haven't spoken it since I've been on Earth." _Well, only to Duo..._

Anne was interested. "Did you learn Japanese at school back home?"

"Only a little bit. My mom had private tutors for my brother and I, but we were always slacking off -" Amy clapped a hand to her mouth. Oops. 

Anne seemed puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"Umm, nothing," Amy lied. "Just that we weren't supposed to goof off, and if it ever got back to my mother -" She chuckled nervously. _Could I have come up with a more stupid lie? _

Anne eyed her strangely for a moment. _What are you hiding from me, Amy? _"Well, don't worry. You're here, your mother's in space. I don't think she'll hear about it."

Amy laughed again, but this time it was genuine. "You have a point. Why don't we hit the electronics store next, I wanted to pick up some disks for my laptop -"

A sudden insistent beeping went off in her purse.

"Oh damn." Amy hissed.

"What's that?"

"My pager. Grandma must need something. I'm gonna find a phone, I'll be right back."

She slipped past Anne and left the store with her comlink going off all the while. She shut it off outside, then found a phone and dialed home. Her grandma answered on the third ring.

"Victoria's Bed and Breakfast. Can I help you?"

"Grandma, it's me."

"Oh, Amy. Is everything okay?"

"Yes and no. We're having a great time, but I have to check on Kage. If Anne calls, tell her you needed me at home and I'm too busy to talk, okay?"

Her grandma sounded concerned. "Why do you need to check on your Gundam? What happened?"

Amy sighed. Why couldn't anything ever be easy?

"The proximity alarms went off. It's probably nothin' grandma, just a raccoon or something, but I gotta check."

__

It took something a **lot **bigger than a raccoon to set off those alarms...

"All right. Be careful."

"I will." Amy hung up.

She went back to the bookstore. Anne was already outside, waiting. "Well?"

"She needs some help with the customers and stuff. We're gonna have to cut today short."

Anne shrugged. "It's okay. C'mon, let's get the bikes."

The bikes were chained to a lamppost at the end of the block, but to get there the girls had to pass the electronics store. Several of the TVs in the window were showing the news, and footage of a burning military base was being broadcast. The girls stopped for a minute to see what was going on.

"...I repeat, the Bedford Alliance base was attacked just minutes ago by what survivors are calling a Gundam, acknowledged to be the first seen in this area..."

Amy's stomach tightened, and for a moment she thought she was going to be sick.

__

No No No No...

She tore herself away from the TV and ran to the bikes. Anne hurried after her. 

"Amy! What - "

"I gotta get home. I'll see ya later, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, Amy threw the chain and lock to Anne and took off.

****

Amy pedaled as fast as she could out of town, heading for the forest.

__

Why didn't I just do my mission? Why did I have to get attached? Why didn't I find someplace else to stay when grandma told me who she was? What was I thinking?

If OZ discovered her, her grandma could be hurt. Anne too, and she didn't even **know** anything. By forsaking her mission, Amy had put innocent lives in danger, lives that had become very precious to her.

__

God, what have I done? This is all because I'm mad at my mother. I should've realized they'd send someone else. Did I really believe Duo and I were the only ones? **Duo. **What if it had been him? 

__

Well, at least I'll see him again, if he's still hanging around.

****

She arrived at the edge of the forest, quietly slipped off her bike, and leaned it against a tree, then pulled out her comlink. The alarms remained off, but a red flickering light on the mini LCD screen showed a mobile suit nearby. Just one. 

She began to make her way swiftly but silently into the forest. The red light was steady. 

__

The MS isn't moving. A guard maybe? No, OZ couldn't have found Kage this fast. They'd still be mobilizing reconnaissance teams right now, if there were anything left. And if it **was** Duo, there **won't** be anything left. 

Amy was beginning to get glimpses of Kage through the trees now. She didn't see anyone near him, not even the MS that her comlink registered. What the hell was going on?

As she moved around a tree, she suddenly caught sight of the MS to the left of Kage, maybe twenty feet from him. It was another Gundam, and it wasn't Deathscythe.

There was no doubt in her mind that this was the one that had destroyed the base. There was a boy standing by its feet, putting the last of the camouflage netting on and tucking it in. He wore white pants, a dark blue tank top, and had his black hair pulled back into a small ponytail. Amy crammed her comlink back in her purse and started towards him. This was the one that had just destroyed her new life, and she was going to make him pay for it.

****

Chang Wufei finished hiding Shenlong, then stepped back to admire his surroundings. It was nice, but he wouldn't be here long. As soon as he got that truck fixed he was gone.

His mind flashed back on the mission he'd just accomplished. It had been relatively simple - hardly worth his time. He looked over at the Gundam next to his. He'd been told there had been no communication from the pilot for two weeks now. They were either dead or had abandoned their mission. They were a coward if they'd done the latter. Wufei was jarred out of his thoughts by a voice coming from behind and to the right of him.

"How dare you?"

He turned to see a girl his age glaring daggers at him. She was maybe an inch taller than he was, wearing jeans, a blue t-shirt and a denim jacket. She clutched a purse by its strap in her right hand. She looked for all the world like she'd just been shopping, except for the loose leaf in her mussed hair.

"What?"

"I said, how dare you? You ruined my life. My only chance for peace, to be normal, and you _ruined_ it."

Wufei was confused, and not a little angry.

"What are you talking about, baka onna?"

"I am not a stupid woman!" The girl picked up a dirt clod and threw it at him, missing him by a couple inches. 

Wufei eyed her narrowly. "I take it _this_ belongs to you." He jerked his head toward her Gundam.

"Kage. His name is Kage."

"Destroying that base was _your_ mission. Why didn't you take it?"

"Because I wanted to be normal!" The girl cried. She suddenly stopped glaring at him and looked down at her left hand, which was balled into a fist.

"What's your name?" Maybe if he was careful, he could get away from this lunatic unscathed.

"Amy. Amy Liana Merrick." She whispered. She was still staring at her hand.

"I'm Chang Wufei. Now look, I need to leave before -" He stopped in midsentence. Amy had brought her left hand up and opened it. On the palm rested a golden sphere about the size of her fist. It looked like it was shimmering.

"What is that?"

"I - I don't know." Amy was staring at it raptly. Suddenly a smirk spread across her face. She glanced up at him. 

"Chang Wufei. Have you ever heard the expression, 'Payback's a bitch?'"

Then she threw it at him.

****

Wufei dodged. The sphere hit the tree behind him with a crackling sound, just missing Shenlong. He didn't dare turn his back on this girl to see the damaged she'd caused. Amy had already formed another, this one a sparkling green. She threw it as hard as she could, and it missed him by less than a foot.

"It's all your fault!" She screamed at him. "If you hadn't destroyed the base - I could've been safe - grandma - Anne - It woulda been okay -"

She was creating the spheres at an alarming rate, each a different color than the last, and her aim was getting better. Wufei was expecting the next one to take his head off when Amy suddenly faltered. The purple sphere she held flickered and disappeared. She stood, hesitating a moment. Midnight blue eyes stared blankly at him, then Amy fainted.

****

Amy woke up on the ground, cradled in someone's arms. For a moment she couldn't remember where she was, but as realization dawned -

"Let go of me!" She tried to push herself up and away from Wufei, but found that she couldn't. She didn't have any energy. _Damn it._

"Just stay where you are. Do you remember what happened?"

She did, vividly, and she flushed with shame. "I tried to kill you."

"Yes." The voice above her sounded faintly amused. Amy didn't think it was at all funny. She continued.

"Then I fainted. I don't think I've ever fainted in my life."

"First time for everything." Wufei muttered. Amy managed to crane her head back to look at him. 

"Sorry."

The onyx-eyed boy didn't answer. Amy colored again and turned her head away. "So, any sign of OZ yet?" A change of subject was good.

"No. I didn't leave much."

Amy nodded and closed her eyes. "I'm tired. Can I - do you mind if I -" She was burning with embarrassment; she didn't even _know_ this guy.

She was shifted a little as Wufei settled himself more comfortably.

"Go to sleep."

"Oh, thank you. I wouldn't if I wasn't so tired...I'll just sleep a couple minutes..." Things were going fuzzy in her head.

"It comes from throwing those spheres around. Maybe next time you won't throw as many."

"Uh-huh." Amy mumbled, then drifted off. Wufei looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms.

He reviewed the day thus far. He was assigned a mission, which he completed; was almost killed by a lunatic that happened to be a Gundam pilot; and now said lunatic pilot was passed out in his arms from exhaustion. Fate must be laughing its ass off right now. He certainly wasn't.

****

The next time Amy opened her eyes, Wufei was no longer holding her. Her purse was under her head, and the comlink was poking her in the ear. She sat up and peered around. Wufei was studying one of the trees that her spheres had hit.

"The tree's not gonna fall over, is it?"

Wufei turned to her and shook his head. "I think you would need to throw a couple more at it."

Amy almost smiled, then glanced up and gasped.

"Look at the sun! How long was I asleep?"

"Two hours."

Amy was appalled. "Two hours! How could you let me sleep that long? My grandma must be scared to death! She was expecting me to be gone just a little while - I told her it was probably _raccoons_, for God's sake -"

Wufei waved his hand to silence her.

"Before you came here, didn't they train you not to get attached to people?"

Amy glared at him. "I don't know. They just pounded into my brain everyday the mantra of 'There is nothing but the mission. There is nothing but the mission.' Does that count?"

Wufei snorted. "Go home. Your grandmother's waiting."

Amy felt her left hand begin to tingle. It had done that last time, right before -

She smiled sweetly at Wufei. "Want a repeat of earlier?"

The look on his face was priceless. He backed up three steps before he realized he was doing it, then stopped.

"You don't frighten me, onna."

Amy smirked. "Really. I suppose you were backing up for another reason?"

Wufei flushed slightly. "I have another mission. I need to leave now."

"I'm going with you."

"What? No you're not."

Amy nodded. "Yes I am. I have to leave anyway, thanks to you."

Wufei stared disbelievingly at her. "You don't even know where I'm going."

"Doesn't matter."

__

Gods, she **is** insane. But maybe she could be useful...

"You can come with me, but here are the terms. Find a transport truck big enough for both our Gundams and be back here in two hours."

He watched as her face fell. Well, maybe he wouldn't have a traveling companion after all.

"Two hours? That's not enough time to get a truck and say goodbye to my family."

Wufei shrugged. "That isn't my problem, onna."

Amy studied him. "_You _should've had a truck. Where is it?"

"I had a flat tire just inside the forest, and there's no spare." 

Amy fought the urge to laugh at the expression of mild outrage on his face.

"I'll see what I can do. Give me a little more time to say goodbye, though?"

Wufei was adamant. "**No.** I've been here too long already. Do you think they won't call in reinforcements for the search? We'll be lucky if they're not here before you get back. Get going."

Amy decided not to argue any further. She scrambled to her feet, grabbed her purse, and took off at a run for her bike.

****

She knew where Anne's house was by heart - they'd ridden by it everyday on their way to school, but Amy was still impressed every time she saw it. The house was a Tudor style mansion, with three stories. Flower boxes hung from every window, bursting with color. The driveway was a turnaround, with a grass mound in the center. 

She pulled up to the porch and dumped her bike, then almost tripped in her haste to get up the steps to the front door. She'd only knocked once before Anne yanked the door open.

"Amy! Where have you been? I called your house twice earlier, and your grandmother said you couldn't talk, but something seemed funny. Then I called half-an-hour ago and she said the same thing, though she sounded really worried, so I knew she was lying -"

Amy pushed her way past Anne and stumbled into the front hall. She peered around suspiciously.

"Are you the only one home?"

Anne nodded, a little confused, and definitely worried about her friend. "Yeah, Dad's at work and our maid has the day off. Why? What happened? You look thrashed."

Amy turned back to Anne. "I need a favor."

"Sure, anything. What is it?"

__

Please don't let Anne betray me. Please let this be the right choice.

"Can you get a hold of a transport truck large enough to accommodate the equivalent of two Leos?"

Anne thought a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. I think my dad has a couple in storage. But why in the world would you need -" Her voice trailed off as it came to her. "You're a Gundam pilot." She looked at Amy incredulously. "Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"I'm not supposed to _tell_ anyone." 

"Not even your best friend?" Anne was beginning to tear up.

"Oh Anne..." Amy stepped forwards and hugged her.

"You're leaving...I've only known you for a little over two weeks and you're my _best friend_. You _can't_ leave. Who am I gonna get in trouble with? No one else will cook marshmallows over the Bunsen burners with me in Chemistry."

Amy laughed, but her throat was tight. "Melt, you mean. We've seen Mrs. Brixton twice now, haven't we?"

Anne sniffed. "Uh-huh. Will you be coming back?"

Amy smiled. "I'll try my best."

Anne grinned back, tears shimmering in her eyes. "That's good enough. Let me go call somebody, and I'll get you that truck. I suppose you have a time limit?" Green eyes studied midnight blue ones intently.

"Yeah. Less than two hours."

Anne made a face. "Ouch. Hang on." She went into the kitchen, picked up the wall phone, and dialed a number.

****

After a ten-minute phone call, Anne hung up and gave Amy the thumbs up sign.

"I just talked to Terry. He can have the thing here in fifteen minutes."

Amy smirked evilly and began to tease her friend. "Not the same Terry you drool over? The one you took a picture of when he was playing baseball shirtless? _That _Terry?"

Anne blushed. "Yeah. He helps my dad out at work in his spare time."

Amy was still grinning. "I think everyone in the neighborhood knows you have a crush on Terry, _including_ him. Why don't you ask him to a movie or something?"

Anne gasped and turned red. "No way! I'd die if he said no...heck, I'd die if he said yes."

Amy snickered, and then the seriousness of the situation came back to her in a sudden rush.

"Can we trust him? I mean, he didn't ask why you wanted the truck, did he?"

"It's okay. He's fine. 'Sides, even if he suspects, he'll keep it to himself."

"I hope so. We've got less than fifteen 'til it gets here, right? I'm gonna ride home real fast and collect my things...and say goodbye to my grandma."

Anne stared hard at the floor. "This is because of what happened at the military base, isn't it? _You_ didn't destroy it, you were with me. Who did, do you know?"

"Another Gundam pilot. I met him when I went to check on my Gundam. That beeping in the bookstore you heard? It was the remote proximity alarms going off, telling me something was near Kage."

Anne seemed to be in awe. "Kage?"

"It's Japanese for shadow. I wish I could show him to you. He's black and metallic bronze - he's beautiful."

Anne began to smirk. "_You _don't need a boyfriend; you're in love with your Gundam."

Amy scowled. Anne giggled as she shook her head. "You'd better move it - time's a-wasting, as they say. See ya in a little bit."

Amy smiled slightly and let herself out of the house.

****

It only took her seven minutes to get home, since she pedaled so fast her lungs burned. At a normal pace it was a fifteen-minute ride. She dropped her bike on the front lawn and flew up the steps into the house. She could hear her grandma humming in the kitchen, and smell apple pie baking. _Oh, no more pie_, She thought sadly. But it was more than that - it was sitting in the kitchen after school every day with her grandma and talking to her about anything and everything over hot apple pie and cinnamon tea. She would miss that, and miss her grandma more. Amy headed for the stairs.

"Amy? Is that you?" Victoria sounded relieved. 

"Yeah! I'll be down in a minute!"

She didn't wait for Victoria to emerge from the kitchen, but instead shot up the stairs and into her room. She didn't even bother to close the door, just pulled her green backpack off the closet shelf and began to stuff things into it, including her purse. Her homework went too - she didn't want to leave anything behind with her name on it. She double-checked her books and school bag - they were fine, so she decided to leave them. She dug under her bed and yanked out a large blue duffel bag. Her grandma had bought her clothes for after school and weekends when it had been discovered she'd arrived on Earth with only one other change. She was in the process of cramming all her clothes into it when Victoria came in. 

"I know you wouldn't leave without telling me."

Amy didn't look up. "Of course not. I was gonna pack and then go say goodbye."

Victoria moved into Amy's line of vision. "I knew you'd have to leave eventually, being a Gundam pilot and all."

Amy did look up now, her eyes wet. "This isn't my choice, grandma. This - **_idiot_** - destroyed the base, and if I don't leave -" She shook her head. "Believe me, all hell will break loose. I don't want you and Anne involved in that."

"I understand, sweetheart. Here, don't forget this."

She handed Amy the rose garden picture. Amy took it and carefully tucked it into the duffel bag. After zipping it shut, she stood.

"Hide yours really good, okay?"

"As good as done. I love you, Amy."

Amy started to cry. Duo had been the only other person to say that to her - not even her own mother had ever said it.

"I love you too, grandma." She choked. "I'll try to come back - if there's a way -" Amy tried to force the tears away. She had a mission, damn it! Now was not the time for this. She hugged Victoria as hard as she could, then stepped back and picked up her bags.

"Gotta go. There isn't much time. Take care, grandma."

"You too sweetheart." Victoria looked close to crying herself. Amy bit her lip and left the room. She almost tripped down the stairs, but it wasn't the weight of the bags she carried.

__

I wanna stay! I don't wanna leave...damn Wufei...damn whoever gave him that order...

She slipped her backpack on, slung the duffel bag over her left shoulder, and stepped out of her grandma's house for the last time.

****

By the time she got back to Anne's house the truck had been there ten minutes and Terry was long gone. She stowed her bags in the cab and turned to Anne.

"There aren't any tracking devices are there? I don't really have time to check."

Anne smirked and held up two black button-shaped devices. "Got 'em. I thought of that while I was waiting for you to get back."

Amy smiled. "Thanks. Look after my bike, would you?"

"Okay." Anne hugged her friend tightly. "Don't forget us."

Amy squeezed her eyes shut. "I won't."

"And when you get upset, just remember Chem class and the marshmallows..."

Amy swallowed and pulled away. "Promise. Thanks a lot. For everything." _If I don't leave now I never will..._

Amy climbed into the cab, closed the door, and started the truck. Anne waved as she drove away.

****

When Amy drove the truck up to the Gundams, Wufei was sitting on Shenlong's foot. He rose as she jumped out of the cab and went over to him.

"Back before the two hours are up. I'm impressed."

She glared at him. "Can we just get them loaded? I'm in no mood for this."

Wufei inclined his head. They set about their task, and eventually had the Gundams secured and covered. Amy crawled into the truck cab and huddled into the passenger seat. Wufei climbed in after her and closed the door.

"I take it I'm driving."

"Damn straight. I don't know where we're going, remember?"

Wufei didn't answer her, and Amy closed her eyes. She was tired, but she also didn't want to watch as she left the only place that had ever really felt like home to her. She slowly drifted off to sleep.

****

__

"Now class, if you'll all just take your beakers off the burners and set them aside, you'll find it of note that the chemicals change color from orange to green as it cools..."

"Psst...Amy...hand me a marshmallow."

Anne held out her hand under the table. Amy slipped her two, and Anne smiled wickedly.

"Thanks." She speared both with a broken piece of coat hanger she'd brought from home and proceeded to toast them over the Bunsen burner. Amy snickered and turned up the temperature. The marshmallows caught fire, then began to melt all over the work table.

"Auggh! **Amy! **You ruined two perfectly good marshmallows!"

She dropped the flaming marshmallows into the sink next to her, then froze as every head in the classroom, including the teacher's, turned back to look at them.

Amy was smirking and trying not to. The teacher was highly agitated. 

"Miss Moren! Miss Merrick! This is the second time you have pulled that stunt in my class! I will not tolerate it! Off to Mrs. Brixton, the both of you!"

Shamefaced, Anne turned off the burner and slid off her stool. Amy followed. They picked up their bags and slipped out into the hallway. Once outside the door, they began to howl with laughter.

"We're gonna get expelled." Anne gasped as they moved down the hallway.

"So? Wouldn't you rather go to Terry's school?"

Anne blushed. "More than anything."

"So," Amy smirked, "We pull that three more times, and they'll expel us for sure. Then you can drool all over Terry in person, instead of that picture you took of him."

Anne was outraged. "I do **not** drool!"

Amy's happy laughter echoed down the hallway.

****


	6. It's the end of the world as we know it....

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing doesn't belong to me. (I wish.) Kage, Professor Merrick, Amy Merrick, and anyone new who shows up _are_ mine. Please ask before you use them.

Notes: Rated PG-13 for mild violence, which will show up sometime, mild language, and implied yaoi relationships. Past scenes / thoughts will be in italics. This fic is AU, if you haven't guessed. :)

Author's _really important _note: Gomen nasai for taking so long - real life interfered, and then my muses went on strike - well, Hee-chan did anyway, so I had to drag in Duo to give Hee-chan a kick in the ass, but it didn't work out that way, so my friend lent me _her_ two muses, Timekeeper and Forgotten Era. That got things going...god, four muses for one chapter...

Gundam 06 by Manic Grasshopper

Chapter 6: It's the end of the world as we know it...and I feel sick.

"Onna! Wake up! You can't sleep forever!"

Amy mumbled something incoherent as she curled up tighter against the passenger door.

Wufei rolled his eyes and poked her in the side again with the cheeseburger he held.

"Onna!"

Amy sleepily blinked, then opened her eyes fully. "My name is Amy," She groaned, rubbing her eyes with clenched fists.

Wufei sighed. "Amy. Take this."

She sat up and took the foil wrapped burger, then looked around. "What time is it?"

"After sunset."

Amy glared at him. Wufei ignored her and pulled another burger out of a bag, then began to unwrap it.

"I have to go to the bathroom."

Her companion pointed out the window. "There are plenty of trees and bushes."

Amy might have choked on her burger, but lucky for her, she hadn't even begun to unwrap it.

"What?"

Wufei allowed a small smirk to rest on his lips. "Weren't you expecting this eventuality?"

"Yeah, but not so soon," Amy muttered. She set her burger down on the seat and pushed her door open. "I'll be back in five. Don't come looking for me." She let herself down from the cab.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Wufei said dryly as she closed the door and disappeared from sight.

* * *

Less than five minutes later she was back, having cleaned her hands with a moist towelette Wufei produced from nowhere. She began to scarf down her burger, glad to have something in her stomach, and watched Wufei eat his second one. Her extra burger lay on the dashboard for all of about ten seconds after she finished her first before she tore into it. When she was done, she sat quietly, waiting for Wufei to finish. Finally he stuffed his empty wrapper back in the bag. 

"Wufei, where are we?"

"Almost to Coventry. You slept for hours."

"Ne, Wufei?"

"What is it now?"

"Where _are _we going?"

He fixed his gaze on her for a moment before looking away. "New Edwards in California. It's an Alliance base."

Amy's eyes lit up. As she pulled him back around so he was facing her, Wufei groaned.

"What are you - wait, why do you look so happy?" He suddenly had a _very_ bad feeling about this.

Amy was smiling. "I have a brother who should be in California. I can't wait to see him."

The Chinese boy muttered something inaudible. 

"What was that?"

"Never mind. Didn't we have this discussion before? If you think we're going to go look for your brother-"

"Oh no," Amy interrupted. "We won't have to. We're going to destroy the base, right?"

Wufei didn't like her use of the word "we're", but he nodded.

Amy's smile was now a smirk. "Then chances are Duo will be there too. He's a Gundam pilot."

Wufei was glad they were parked, because if he'd been driving they would have swerved off the road.

**__**

"What?"

"I hope I get a chance to see him in person after the base is gone. We've only talked over vid-screens since we left home."

Wufei blinked a couple times. "You have a brother who's a Gundam pilot?" He looked like he was in shock.

Amy narrowed her eyes. "I just _said_ that."

"A brother, who's a Gundam pilot. He's probably as crazy as you are." _Or worse..._

Amy threw her wadded up burger wrapper at him. It bounced off the side of his head. Wufei frowned at her.

"I'm not crazy and neither is Duo."

"This is a _war_, onna, not a family reunion. We go in, destroy the base, and leave. There won't be any time to stop and talk afterwards."

"Bite me."

"You're being juvenile."

Amy stuck her tongue out at him.

"Gods. How did I get talked into this?"

He started the truck while Amy smirked.

* * *

The rest of the trip to the military base in Coventry where Wufei planned to acquire a carrier for them would have been nice and quiet, if only _Amy_ had been nice and quiet. However, she insisted on telling him her life story, prompting him to wonder if her brother talked that much. He was incredibly relieved when they finally pulled up outside their destination and Amy's voice fell silent. He pointed past the chain link fence to the well-lit airstrip beyond where three carriers sat, apparently unguarded. _This isn't right...after Bedford, this place should be on high alert..._ It seemed they were going to have to take their chances.

"Thisis it. I'm going to go inside and create a diversion. Your job is to drive the truck onto that last carrier and lock up, but wait for me. I should be done in ten minutes. If you don't see me by then, take off. You know the coordinates of New Edwards, I trust?"

Amy wanted to reach over and smack him. She wasn't a child! 

"Yeah, they made Duo and I memorize the coordinates for every single Alliance Base on this planet." She wasn't kidding - they really had.

Wufei nodded in approval. He let himself out of the truck and closed the door as Amy scooted over to the driver's seat. He then looked up at the half-open window. "Remember to wait for the diversion."

Amy didn't ask what the diversion was - she figured she knew. "All right."

Wufei slipped over to the bushes just a few feet away and scaled the fence with ease, then disappeared into the darkness beyond.

***

Amy didn't have long to wait for the diversion. A series of explosions shook the building farthest from the airstrip. She immediately shifted the truck into gear and headed for a closed gate almost three hundred yards ahead. The guard inside the watchtower had left his post and was running toward the main buildings. So far, no alarm had been raised.

__

This isn't right...what's going on? Amy drove through the gate, pushing the pedal down as far as it would go, and headed for the last carrier on the airstrip. She was aware there was a really good chance of Alliance soldiers lying in wait for her by the carriers, and for a moment she wondered what to do when she encountered them. Shooting them seemed the logical (and obvious) choice, but Amy had always had an aversion to killing people up close. Granted, her only experience with it had been simulated, but still...if she had to kill someone, she'd rather do it from a distance, in Kage. Her mother had been fond of telling her she didn't have the stomach to kill anyone face to face, and Amy knew deep inside that that she was right. Kage was secured and therefore unavailable, and her gun was right there in her jacket.

What other option did she have? 

She pulled the truck up to the last carrier, and jumped out without pulling her gun. That was a mistake, just like she'd known it would be. A soldier stepped into view from around the carrier, his rifle pointed at her. Amy's heart sank. _Oh damn. Wufei's gonna flip._

"Hands in the air, away from your coat!"

Amy started to comply, then stopped as the other option she'd been looking for finally dawned on her. 

"Hey! What's that?" She pointed upward, then called a sphere as the soldier looked up, taking his gun up to the angle Amy needed. _Idiot. _She let a small smirk touch her lips as she threw the sphere sideways, slicing the rifle in half before the soldier even had time to _think_ about bringing his gun back down. The poor man held onto the remaining piece, frozen to the spot as the barrel clattered to the ground.

"W-What-"

Amy was gloating, not paying attention to her surroundings at all until a second soldier stepped into her line of sight and shot her. It was nothing serious - luckily the angle was wrong and the bullet only grazed her left upper arm, but it still _hurt_. The pain brought her back to herself and she summoned another sphere. As the power flowed through her, her pain disappeared. Amy smiled happily as she threw the forest green orb in a curve at the second man, destroying his gun as well. He didn't stand around and stammer like his companion - he took off running. The first soldier followed suit a moment later.

Amy smirked to herself. _I think I'm getting to like this ability. _She climbed back into the truck and dug around in her backpack until she found her comlink. Pulling it out, she studied it doubtfully.

***

__

November 14, AC 194

"A what?"

"A garage door opener. Ya never heard of one?"

Amy glared at her half-brother. "No. And what's a garage?"

Duo chuckled. "Go study the archives. Look under twentieth century."

With that bit of helpful advice, he had walked away, laughing quietly to himself. Later that day, Amy had borrowed her mother's computer and scrolled through the archives. She'd discovered what a garage was as well as a garage door opener. She thought they were absolute nonsense - a car didn't need a house of it's own - it wasn't a human being. She told that to Duo after dinner and had had to punch him in the arm when he wouldn't stop laughing. At last he did stop, and looked up at her from his position on the floor where he had landed at the end of his hysterics.

"Well, your mother says it's supposed to open a carrier just like a garage door opener worked for a garage, so I guess it's true. 'Course, she also said there're still bugs she's gotta work out. Hey, I wonder if when you hit the button to open a carrier, if it would call home instead!"

***

God, I hope not. Amy thought as she sat up and pointed it through the windshield at the rear of the carrier and pressed a small button. She had absolutely no desire whatsoever to talk to her mother right now, about anything. The hatch on the carrier lowered obediently, and Amy let out a silent cheer. She hadn't been all that sure it would work, despite her mother's assurances.

She dropped the comlink in her jacket pocket, then scooted back over to the driver's seat. After she pulled the door closed she restarted the truck and drove onto the carrier. Once the truck was secure, she climbed out and closed the carrier door the same way she'd opened it. She didn't understand _how_ it worked, she was just glad it did. _Her_ mission was complete, so where the hell was Wufei? Amy made her way to the cockpit and peered out a side window. She could see a figure in white running towards the carrier. No one was pursuing him, and there were still no alarms.

__

What's going on?

"Onna!" Wufei was waving his arms at the carrier, and for just a second Amy entertained the evil idea of just leaving him there, but she shook her head, laughing, then disappeared back into the cargo bay to let Wufei in.

* * *

"That was definitely a trap."

Amy glanced over at Shenlong's pilot and sighed. They'd been in the air hardly twenty minutes, and he'd been saying it every two. She was almost ready to choke him, but forced herself to keep her patience.

"Maybe, but there were no alarms, Wufei. No one tried to stop us." _Except those two guards, and they didn't do much of a job. _She almost snickered at the memory.

"That's exactly my point!"

"If no one tried to stop us, how was it a trap?"

That shut Wufei up - for five minutes at least. Then he spoke again.

"You're bleeding."

"Am I?" Amy glanced at her blood stained jacket. "Oh. _That. _One of the soldiers that tried to keep me from taking the carrier - did I mention there were two soldiers? - shot me. It's not a big deal."

Wufei had turned the autopilot on and turned in his seat to stare at her incredulously.

"Not a big deal? You were shot! Doesn't it hurt?"

Now that he mentioned it - and he _had_ to mention it, didn't he, she thought darkly - it _was _beginning to sting. Amy shrugged, then winced a little, hoping Wufei hadn't seen. "It hurt at first, but I called a sphere and it stopped hurting. I guess I forgot about it."

An expression of pure disbelief crossed Wufei's features. "You _forgot_ about it? Gods, you could bleed to death!"

Amy glared at him. "But I'm not, am I?"

Wufei rose from his seat and began digging around in overhead compartments. "There has to be a first-aid kit here somewhere..."

"Gee Chang, didn't know ya cared."

Wufei made no response to her comment and kept looking. A minute later he pulled a small box out of the back of the compartment over the pilot's seat. He opened it and began pulling out bandages and antiseptic.

"Take your jacket off."

Amy grinned at him. "But it's not even our first date!"

The Chinese boy eyed her narrowly. "You have a real penchant for sarcasm, don't you?"

Amy smiled sweetly at him. "So does my brother. Guess it runs in the family." She eased her jacket off, grimacing as the denim brushed over her wound. Once the jacket was in her lap, Wufei began to clean what turned out to be to his relief only a shallow cut.

"Ow! Do you have to scrape like that?"

"I'm being as gentle as I can."

"Liar. This is your revenge for my coming with you, isn't it?"

"Don't be ridiculous and stop squirming."

Wufei finished, then applied a couple bandages. "There. You're done. Happy?"

Amy studied the bandages on her arm. "Very much. Thank you Nurse Wufei."

Wufei made a noise of disgust and turned away. Remorse washed over Amy in a wave.

"Gomen."

He ignored her apology. "Take a nap - I'm going to. The plane's on autopilot so we won't crash."

"Hai." Amy curled up in her seat, facing right, and closed her eyes. She didn't _mean_ to hurt him - sarcasm was how she dealt with the world sometimes. She wanted to explain that to him, but right now she didn't think he would listen.

* * *

__

The image was so clear in her dream that it may as well have been reality. Her mother was sitting on a blue couch, frowning at her. No, not at Amy, at whoever was holding her. Even in the dream, Amy could feel herself cradled in warm, strong arms. She felt safe. The person holding her was speaking to her mother quietly. 

"Why didn't you tell me, Kara? You knew where I was. I would have **been** here. And if she's interfering with your work, I'd be more than willing to raise her. After I lost Sonja and Ryan -"

Her mother cut the voice off. (My daddy's voice...) "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to ruin things between you and Sonja. What we did...it wasn't responsible. And I'm sorry for your loss, but Amy doesn't interfere. She's my daughter and I love her. She's such a small child - it would be incredibly upsetting for her to leave me to go live with you."

Amy let out a small whimper that no one seemed to hear. Her left arm hurt...

* * *

Amy's eyes snapped open as she realized she'd turned over in her sleep and was lying on her injured arm. She propped herself up slightly and looked across to Wufei. Any memory of the dream left her completely as she smiled. Wufei was curled up much the same way she was, facing her, his eyes closed.

__

He looks so innocent... It was hard to believe this boy was a Gundam pilot while he slept. _Much_ easier to believe it when he was awake, though.

__

He's kinda cute, too. Amy blushed. Did she actually _think_ that? About _him_? She pushed the thought out of her head as far as it would go and tried to think of something else. _Anything_ else. 

"Why were you staring at me?"

Amy gasped as she found onyx eyes studying her face.

"I was thinking about how innocent you look when you're asleep. And cute."

Amy sat up, clasped both hands over her mouth, and turned three different shades of red.

"Oh God." She whispered through her hands. Wufei glared at her, his cheeks reddening. 

"Don't watch me sleep."

Amy could only dip her head down in embarrassment. Did she actually _say_ that? 

Wufei checked something on the instrument panel and nodded to himself. "We'll be at New Edwards in less than an hour. How's your arm?"

"Better. Thanks for asking. Ano, Wufei..."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

He seemed surprised. "For what?"

"My...comments earlier. I was being mean, and I had no right to hurt you like that. Being sarcastic - it's kind of a protective shield, you know? Things - _people_ - don't hurt me as much if I'm a smart-ass. I'm sorry I hurt you." 

She waited in silence a moment to see what he would say. What if he didn't accept it? What if he hated her? 

"Apology accepted."

He was smiling just a little. It was so faint that Amy almost didn't catch it, but then she smiled back. "I've got some granola bars in my backpack. You hungry?"

* * *

Wufei landed the carrier in a clearing a mile south of the New Edwards base. Amy slipped back into the cargo bay and lowered the door.

"Y'know Chang, they _do_ have radar. They're going to pick us up, if they haven't already."

"I know." He replied, following her in. "That's why we need to get moving, and quickly. We have five minutes to unload and get started."

Amy rolled her eyes. _Five minutes. _She pointed at Wufei. "You can back the truck out, since it sounds like you've done this before."

Wufei shrugged and climbed in the truck. Less than a minute later he had parked it beside a tree and climbed out of the cab. Amy hurried over and began unfastening the covering that hid Kage and Shenlong. Suddenly she paused, listening.

"Ne, Wufei? Do you hear that?"

He stopped pulling back the tarp and cocked his head to one side, listening intently.

"Hai. The battle has started without us."

__

Duo. Amy began to work faster.

* * *

Minutes later they were in their Gundams and wading through the destruction at New Edwards. The comline was open between them, and Amy let out a small moan as she surveyed the battlefield. Wufei's voice crackled over the line. "Are you all right?"

"H-hai. It's just - the simulations were nothing like this."

Wufei's voice was hard. "They were just that - simulations. This is real life. Adjust to it."

"Ryoukai." Amy began to scan the battlefield again for enemies, trying to file away the carnage she saw to be dealt with later. An alarm to her right went off, and she flipped that view screen on.

"Duo!"

Three seconds later, her brother's voice broke over the line, surprise evident.

"Imouto-chan! What the hell are _you _doin' here?"

She started to say, It's a long story, and then she caught sight of the red, white, and blue gundam next to Deathscythe. It was changing into bird mode and taking off after an OZ shuttle. Once it had caught up, it reverted to humanoid form and pulled a beam saber, slicing the shuttle in half with one downward stroke. The OZ shuttle exploded in a fireball, raining down sparks and shards of metal.

Amy watched, transfixed and horrified, before Wufei's voice broke the spell.

"That wasn't very smart." 

"What?" The voice that questioned him was surprised and angry.

"Check out the Alliance's report. You need to do your homework before you kill someone. That shuttle was full of the Alliance's pacifists!"

Amy pushed a button and called the report up on her own screen, reading quickly.

"Oh God." She whispered. She felt sick.

"The hell?" That was Duo, and she could hear the disbelief in his voice.

"We need to get out of here," a quiet, almost emotionless voice said.

"But-" A soft voice broke in.

"It's no good Quatre." That quiet voice again. Amy wondered which Gundam he was in. Her screen showed her two other ones - one that was orange and red, and another that was black, gold, and white.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Amy asked.

"No." Wufei said. "This was one of OZ's traps, and we fell right into it."

"Even you, Chang." Amy couldn't help it, and waited to see if he'd bite back, but he said nothing.

"Everyone get a carrier and be quick. I know of a safe house...I'm transmitting coordinates now," the soft voice spoke. As the series of numbers flashed across Amy's screen, she quickly memorized them.

"Amy, you're comin' with me." 

"'Kay, Duo." Her voice was weak. _This didn't just happen...it didn't..._

Everyone decided to pair off at the hangar and Amy only briefly caught sight of her fellow pilots as the Gundams were loaded. A tall boy with light brown hair covering half his face left with a small blonde boy. Another boy with wild chocolate brown hair took a carrier with Wufei. Amy climbed into the passenger seat of the carrier she was sharing with Duo and tried to hold the tears back.

__

I'm a Gundam pilot - a soldier...I have no time for tears...

Duo got the carrier in the air, punched the coordinates into the computer, switched the autopilot on, and then turned to face his sister.

"Amy-chan? Are you okay?"

She was staring blankly out the window, reliving the scenario in her mind. That shuttle - those innocent people -

Amy slowly turned to her brother. "No. No I'm not."

As she began to cry, Duo reached over and wrapped his arms around her. Amy cried harder. She didn't think she'd ever be okay again.

* * *

Author's note: I know by this point a lot of people must be asking how in the hell someone as emotionally fragile as Amy seems to be managed to become a Gundam pilot. Well, that'll be explained later. *evil grin* However, I happen to be of the opinion that _all_ the pilots are rather fragile inside, and some just hide it better than others. Sometimes Amy's not so good at hiding it.


	7. Cramped Conditions

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing doesn't belong to me. (I wish.) Kage, Professor Merrick, Amy Merrick, and anyone new who shows up _are_ mine. Please ask before you use them.

Notes: Rated PG-13 for mild violence, which will show up sometime, mild language, and implied yaoi relationships. Past scenes / thoughts will be in italics. This fic is AU, if you haven't guessed. :)

Glossary: Ne: Hey / Isn't it, depending on context

Imouto: Little sister

'Niichan: Big brother

Baka: Idiot / Stupid

Onna: Woman

Sumimasen: Excuse me

Kisama: You (Vulgar - I've also seen this translated as 'Bastard')

Hentai: Pervert

A/N: Beware, this thing changes perspective a lot. I hope it's understandable. Also, it's not clear below, but Heero and Duo already know each other (see chapter 4 or 5, I think) and Trowa and Quatre know each other.

Gundam 06 by Manic Grasshopper

Chapter 7: Cramped Conditions

It had been several hours since all the pilots had arrived at the safe house. Things weren't going so well - introductions had been made (reluctantly, except for Duo and Quatre) shortly after arrival, but now no one was speaking to one another. The six were all in the small living room - Trowa, the tall boy, was sitting on a ratty green loveseat with Quatre, the blonde. The boy with the chocolate brown hair was Heero, and he sat stonily in a straight-backed chair he'd brought in from the kitchen. It was positioned at such an angle that he could see everyone in the room with hardly having to turn his head. Wufei leaned against a wall, arms crossed, watching Amy sit on another loveseat. She was leaning against her brother, eyes closed. She didn't look very well at all - quite pale, actually. Duo gave her a gentle shake.

"Ne, imouto-chan. You okay?"

Amy's eyes opened, and she looked blankly at Duo for a moment, then put a hand over her mouth and fled the room. The braided boy frowned as he watched her hasty departure.

"Guess not."

Unfortunately, the house was small enough that everyone could hear Amy getting sick in the bathroom down the hall, even with the door closed.

"This place needs thicker walls," Duo said, looking mildly ill himself.

"Tune it out, baka." This from Heero, who glared in Duo's direction.

Amy reappeared a moment later, not quite as pale. She sat down next to Duo again and began to study her fellow pilots. She found Heero particularly interesting...and just a tad unnerving. _This_ was the guy her brother was in love with? 

Quatre looked around at everyone and sighed. He did _not _look forward to what he had to tell them.

"Ano, everyone?"

Five pairs of eyes were immediately focused on him.

"It's late - we should all get some sleep. There's a...little...problem, though."

"Which is?" Wufei was annoyed. He didn't like failing missions, and he especially didn't like being tricked. Both had happened today, and he was _not _a happy camper.

Quatre appeared extremely uncomfortable. Trowa put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and the blonde smiled up at him before continuing. Wufei eyed them intently for a moment.

__

I wonder...

"There are six of us, and only three bedrooms. We're going to have to pair up."

"So?" Duo asked. "Heero and I have done that before. What's the big deal?"

Quatre's face burned. "There are only three beds, as well."

Silence descended over the room for several seconds before anyone spoke.

"I'll share with Wufei."

Both Wufei and Duo stared at Amy, shocked.

__

"What?"

"Imouto-chan?"

Amy shrugged. "I don't mind, as long as he keeps his hands to himself."

Wufei could only blink, speechless. Wasn't this the same girl who had tried to kill him back in England? 

Quatre quietly spoke up. "Trowa and I will share - if that doesn't bother you, Heero, Duo?"

Heero inclined his head slightly. "Fine. I can probably ignore the baka better than any of you could, with the exception of his sister. I've had a lot of practice lately."

Duo made a face. "Hey!"

Quatre smiled a little. "Everyone pick a room then. See you all in the morning." He stood and left the living room, with Trowa not far behind. Duo rose, then pulled Amy to her feet. He gave her a hug. "Tell me if he tries anything."

Amy blushed as Wufei scowled.

"I have more honor than _that_, Maxwell."

Duo only glared at him before leaving the room. Wufei glanced at Heero, who was still in the chair. "Aren't you going?"

Heero looked, for the briefest moment, contemplative. Then his face was stone again. 

"In a few minutes."

Wufei nodded. Amy chose that moment to reach over and grab his hand.

"C'mon. I wanna get some sleep."

Wufei fought to keep his face from turning red as she dragged him out of the room and down the hall.

* * *

A quick knock at the first door on the right down the short hallway showed it to be occupied by Quatre and Trowa. Amy wished them good night and moved on. The room next to them contained a very agitated Duo. 

"Look at this!" He ranted to Amy, who was unaware she still had Wufei's hand in a death grip. Duo pointed to the twin-size bed. "How are we supposed to share that?!" He was blushing furiously. Amy winked at him. "I'm sure you'll find a way." She replied innocently. "Oyasumi, 'Niichan."

Duo scowled, still flushed. "Oyasumi." 

Amy pushed Wufei out of the way with her free hand and closed Duo's door. "Last one." She pointed to the room across from Quatre and Trowa, and Wufei pushed the door open. The bed was a full size, pushed up against the wall they were facing. A small lamp stood on the nightstand next to the bed. Across from the foot of the bed, there was a dresser with six drawers and a spare blanket folded neatly on top. There was an oval window in the wall high above the head of the bed. It didn't look like it opened.

Amy let go of Wufei once they were inside the room, and he shut the door behind himself, then glanced at the bed.

"In or out?"

"Huh?" Amy glanced back at him. She'd obviously been somewhere else. Wufei gestured to the bed.

"Against the wall or on the outside, onna."

"_Oh. _Outside."

Wufei climbed over to the far side of the bed and crawled under the covers. Amy tried very hard not to stare at his butt and failed miserably. She colored as she realized what she was thinking.

__

Amy Liana! Cut that out, you pervert!

Wufei had settled himself in the bed, his back to the wall. He was watching her.

"Are you waiting for the war to end? Get in bed and turn out the light."

"In a second." She pulled the spare blanket off the dresser, wrapped it around herself, then lay down on top of the covers on her side of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Mind your own business." Amy reached over and turned out the light. Moonlight streamed down through the window - Wufei could see Amy on her side, facing him. She was staring at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Why aren't you lying on your other side? Does your arm still hurt?"

She seemed to think about this a moment before answering. "A little bit."

Wufei sighed. Then he noticed that she was shivering.

"That blanket is too thin. Just crawl under here; it's warmer."

Amy shook her head. "No. I might-" She stopped in midsentence, then suddenly reached out and punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You called me onna earlier. Don't do it anymore." 

Amy closed her eyes and drifted off a few minutes later. Wufei watched her shiver for another five minutes before he pulled her into his arms to keep her warm. She'd probably kill him tomorrow.

* * *

Amy was the first to wake the next morning, still wrapped in her blanket. She wasn't cold anymore, which she was grateful for - until she saw the reason _why_ she wasn't cold. She was pressed up against Wufei's chest, his arms wrapped loosely about her. He was still asleep - for about ten seconds.

**__**

"Pervert!"

Amy pulled herself free and rolled off the bed. Unfortunately, she was still somewhat tangled in her blanket, so she didn't land on her feet. Wufei sat up and stared at her.

"Are you nuts?"

"What did you think you were doing?"

"Trying to keep you warm - unless you _wanted_ to freeze to death last night!"

"If you wanted to keep me warm, you should've gone looking for another blanket! I wouldn't have offered to share with you if I'd known you were going to have busy hands!"

"My hands were **_not_** busy!"

There was a timid knock on the door, and Quatre's voice drifted through. He sounded concerned.

"Is everything okay in there?"

They answered in unison.

**__**

"No!"

Amy untangled herself and stood, glaring at Wufei. "I'm going to see what there is to eat around here," She informed him evenly. Amy threw open the door, revealing a startled Quatre.

"Ohayo, Quatre."

"Ohayo, Amy Liana." Quatre responded, stepping aside to make room for her as she stormed past him. The blonde peered in at Wufei, who was still in bed.

"In this situation, I think it would be rude of me to ask what happened, so I won't. Please join us for breakfast when you're ready." Then he politely closed the door.

Wufei flopped back on the bed, exasperated. That woman! All he did was try to help her, and look at the thanks he got for it! A screech in his ear! At least she hadn't conjured a sphere this time, he reflected. That could have been _much_ worse.

* * *

Amy sat at the crowded breakfast table, trying to eat without bumping elbows with Trowa or Quatre. It was a rectangular table, with Heero and Wufei sitting on the other side. Duo had yet to make an appearance. Wufei was doing his very best to ignore Amy - busy hands indeed!

Amy bit into the jelly sandwich she'd made for herself and glared at the Chinese boy diagonal from her. _Baka. What did he think he was going to get away with, anyway? Then again, he **had **said that he was just trying to keep me warm, and that was awfully sweet of him..._Amy shook her head. Who cared? She wasn't here for this. Just then, a yawning Duo shuffled into the kitchen. Amy glanced up and smiled.

"Ohayo, 'Niichan."

"G'mornin' Amy, everybody." He wandered over to the fridge and began to rummage through it.

"I'm starving. What's in here?"

"Not much anymore," Amy said. "What took you so long getting outta bed anyway?" She turned around in her chair to look at her brother, grinning as he turned a nice shade of red. 

"Nothin' really. Didn't get a lot of sleep last night, s'all."

"Uh-_huh._" Amy smirked at Duo as he glanced over at her. His blush deepened, and she turned back around, accidentally bumping into Quatre's arm.

"Sorry Quatre."

The blonde smiled at her. "It's okay. Did everyone besides Duo sleep well?" Amy nodded, Wufei muttered something, and Heero didn't even answer. Trowa also nodded, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. Amy frowned, then stole a peek back at Quatre, who was staring at Trowa. He was coloring a little as well. Amy almost choked on her sandwich. Them too? She had to fight back the smirk that was threatening to break out on her lips at any moment.

Duo plopped down in a chair next to Heero with a plate of grapes. Heero studied the plate, then Duo, mildly surprised.

"That's all you're having?"

"You guys _ate_ everything else!"

Amy snickered. "You're a bottomless pit, Duo."

He appeared slightly offended for a minute, then shrugged.

"Doesn't matter. There's gotta be a store around here someplace. I'll just go shoppin' later."

"Make the onna do it." Wufei muttered.

Amy sat straight up in her chair. "I _told_ you not to call me that!"

"What? Onna? Why not?" For some reason, Wufei felt like being particularly nasty.

Amy glared daggers at him. "For future reference, keep your hands _off_ of me. I don't care if I'm turning blue in an ice storm, I don't want you touching me!"

**__**

"What?!" Duo stood up, his braid whipping to the side as he stared at Wufei.

Wufei held his hands up in protest. "It wasn't like that at all, Maxwell! She was cold, so I -"

He didn't get to finish. Duo lunged at Wufei, knocking both Heero and the chair he was sitting in back against the wall in the process. He wrapped his hands around Wufei's throat and tried to strangle him.

"Keep your hands _off_ my baby sister!"

Trowa rose, crossed around the table, and began to pry Duo's fingers away from Wufei's neck. Heero observed the spectacle from the wall and shook his head.

"Duo no baka." He muttered.

"He touched her!" Duo exclaimed angrily.

To Amy, the situation was almost laughable. Then Wufei, who had recovered sufficiently enough to stand up, opened his mouth and ruined it.

"Don't worry, Maxwell. She doesn't want me touching her, fine. In fact, she can drop dead for all I care."

Two things happened simultaneously. Duo lunged at Wufei again - luckily Trowa was still restraining him - and Amy stood up and called a sphere. Mere seconds after she had done so, Heero had risen from his chair and pulled his gun. Everyone froze.

"What is that?" Heero asked quietly.

Wufei stood absolutely still. He'd seen what these things did to trees, and the Alliance soldiers' guns. He did _not_ want to be on the receiving end again. Especially when she was this close to him.

"I'm sorry."

Amy still held the sphere, which shone a brilliant red. "Say it like you mean it, Chang." She cocked her arm like she was going to throw it.

Heero clicked the safety off the gun.

"Get rid of it."

Amy smirked. "Gonna try to shoot me, Heero? I guarantee you'll be missing an arm before you get a shot off." She heard Duo gasp, and a wave of remorse washed over her. _Gomen ne, 'Niichan._

Wufei was forcing himself to breathe. "Trust me Yuy, she isn't kidding. I've seen what these things can do."

Heero's cobalt blue eyes never left Amy. "She gets rid of that thing, I'll put the gun away."

Slowly, the orb dissipated into mist. Amy lowered her arm as Heero clicked the safety back on and put his gun away.

Wufei suddenly found himself able to breathe freely again.

"Amy - I'm sorry."

Her eyes met his, and he was shocked by the incredible hurt he saw there. Then without a word, she slipped past Quatre and out of the kitchen. They heard the front door slam moments later.

Trowa let go of Duo, who immediately started after her.

"Duo -" Quatre tried to stop the other boy, but Heero shook his head.

"Let him. She won't kill her own brother."

"But you think she'll kill one of us?" Quatre was aghast at the idea.

"She almost did. You were right here - you saw it. I don't know if we should trust her."

"She's a Gundam pilot! She's one of us!"

Heero didn't answer. Wufei rose from his chair and hurried after Duo. There was something he had to tell him.

* * *

Amy ran, as hard and fast as she could. She knew exactly where she was going, and she wanted to get there before anyone had the chance to follow her.

__

Stupid Stupid **Stupid**. She'd lost her temper again, and almost killed Wufei. For the _second_ time.

She approached a barren plain and stopped. There was a rock at the edge of it, and she stepped on it twice in rapid succession. A small door in the ground slid back, revealing steps leading down. This was the pilots' entrance to the underground hangar - the Gundams were let in another way. Amy headed down the stairs into darkness, but as the door slid shut over her, lights positioned every ten feet on the wall began to come on automatically. Once she reached the bottom, she could see the Gundams. It was rather cramped in here, too. Kage was pretty much smushed in next to Deathscythe, and looked like he didn't belong there.

__

Like **I **don't belong here. Amy thought miserably as she climbed into her Gundam and closed the hatch. A soft white light infused the cockpit as she settled herself in the seat. What was the matter with her? Sure, what Wufei had said was mean as hell, but that didn't mean she had to call a sphere. She could have just as easily thrown her sandwich in his face. Amy sighed. She _knew_ what the problem was. She liked Wufei...a _lot_. But the way she'd been raised - she didn't know how to _deal _with this sort of thing. Her mother had never really meant it when she said 'I love you', or hugged her. Of course, after meeting Duo, Amy had learned what it was like to be loved by someone. It was hard to believe she'd only known him since AC 193. Sometimes it felt like she'd known him all her life...she wished she had. All those times she could have used his smile, or a hug...

Tears began to well up in her eyes, and a soft sob escaped her throat. A sudden rapping noise on the outside of the hatch caught her attention, and she sighed, quickly drying her eyes. So much for hiding. She knocked back twice, waited five seconds, then lowered the hatch and leaned out to look, although she knew what she'd see. Duo was clinging to Kage like a monkey, grinning.

"Mind if I come in?"

"There's no room in here and you know it. Get on the hatch before you fall off."

Duo slid over and climbed neatly onto the open hatch, then sat down. He was still grinning.

Amy shook her head. "I really wish you wouldn't do that, Duo. You scared me to death."

Duo's expression sobered. "Kinda like what you did to us. What _was_ that thing?"

Amy stared at her feet. How to explain this?

"A sphere. I didn't know I could make them until I met Wufei. He pissed me off, and...it just appeared in my hand."

"Didja throw it at him?" Duo was suppressing a smirk. 

"Uh - huh. But I missed...Several times, actually."

She looked up to see Duo smirking at her. 

"Sounds kinda like when I first met Heero. I shot him twice."

Amy was shocked. "Oh Duo, you didn't!"

"Yep. Thought he was gonna kill some girl, so I interrupted."

Amy half-smiled. "Mr. Knight-in-shining-armor, huh?"

Duo shrugged. "Maybe...but I ended up falling for the 'hero' instead of the damsel in distress."

Amy snickered. "So your e-mails said."

"Did they?"

"In so many words, yes."

Duo reached into the cockpit and touched her hand. "Spheres and attempted murder aside though, what's up with you and Chang?"

Amy scowled. "There's nothing up with me and Wufei."

"Bullshit. I've seen the way you look at him - you probably don't even notice you're doin' it. D'ya like him?"

Amy nodded a little.

"Think he likes you?"

She shrugged. "Maybe. Yes. I don't know. He can be such a pain in the ass!"

Duo chuckled. "So can Heero."

Amy gasped as she caught his meaning.

**__**

"Duo!"

The braided boy laughed. "Sorry. Though, if you're really stuck on him, you should tell him how you feel."

Amy flushed. "God, I couldn't. He doesn't like me - he was just being nice last night, that's all." _And nice when I was shot, and when I fainted back in England..._

"Besides, I thought you didn't like him. He _did_ touch me, you know."

Duo appeared embarrassed. "Yeah, well, he got a chance to explain what he was doing last night, and I can't really fault him for trying to help you."

Surprise flashed across Amy's face. "When did he get a chance to tell you this?"

"About thirty seconds before I got to the hangar. He followed me out."

"Oh."

Duo smiled wickedly. "Think it over, okay? About tellin' him. He might really have the hots for you, and he just doesn't know how to say it."

"Was Heero like that?"

Duo didn't answer. Instead, he gave her hand a light tug and changed the subject.

"C'mon back to the house - might as well unpack a few things. We could be here a while. Just don't try to kill Wufei in the house anymore, all right? Save it for outside."

Amy giggled. "All right. Thanks 'Niichan."

Duo gave her a sitting bow, like he'd done before they left L2. "My pleasure."

He stood, then began to climb down the enormous Gundam. Amy leaned out of the cockpit and yelled at him.

"Damn it Duo, use the cable! You're gonna kill yourself!"

"Shinigami doesn't die!" Duo yelled back as his feet finally came to rest on the ground. Amy shook her head, and climbed out of the cockpit. The light turned off as the hatch closed. Amy climbed down the way Duo had, and smirked at the shocked expression on his face as she landed next to him.

"What?"

"You were just bitching at _me_ about using the cable, and then _you_ go and do that?"

Amy's smirk turned positively evil.

"Well, I'm Shinigami's half-sister, aren't I? Shouldn't I have some of his luck?"

Duo snorted. "Maybe. But what did I tell you? None of this 'half-brother/half-sister' crap. You know I consider you full blood."

Amy nodded apologetically. "I know. You're full blood to me too. Sorry, 'Niichan."

Duo hugged her. "No big deal. Let's head back. I gotta take a shower and head into town. We need food!"

Amy laughed as they headed up the stairs together. Duo was _such_ a bottomless pit.

* * *

Upon entering the living room, Amy took immediate notice of where everyone was seated. Trowa was on one loveseat, reading a book; Quatre on the other, doing the same; and Heero was sitting at a tiny desk that was crammed into a corner, with his laptop up and running. He didn't even glance at her or Duo as they came in. Wufei was nowhere to be seen.

Quatre lifted his head from his book and smiled at her. "Are you feeling better, Amy Liana?"

Amy couldn't help but smile back. Quatre's smile reminded her of sunshine filling a room. It made her feel good.

"Hai. But Quatre, you don't need to call me 'Amy Liana'. Just plain 'Amy' is fine."

The blonde's sea-green eyes were sparkling. "But 'Amy Liana' is such a pretty name. Don't you like it?"

She considered his question, then shrugged. "I guess I never really thought much about it. I suppose I like it."

"If it really bothers you, I'll just call you 'Amy'."

She shook her head. "Naw, go ahead - I don't mind. Ne, where's Wufei?"

Now it was Quatre's turn to shake his head. "I don't know. He followed Duo outside after you, and he hasn't come back yet."

__

So much for apologizing right this second.

Amy shrugged. "S'okay. I gotta go unpack some things anyway. Duo, you wanna help?"

She turned to see her brother draped over Heero's shoulder, chatting endlessly. Heero looked mildly annoyed.

"Ne, Duo?"

There was no response. Amy sighed and headed off to her room to unpack.

* * *

It didn't take too long - Amy quickly folded her clothes and put them away in the first three drawers of the dresser, then set her pictures up on top of it. The one of her and her grandmother was on the left, with the picture of her father ( and Duo's) stuck in a corner of the frame. Right next to that was a picture that Victoria had taken of Amy and Anne together on the second day of school. Both girls were smiling like they hadn't a care in the world. 

__

Anne. Amy thought sadly. _My best friend besides Duo. What are you doing now? I hope you're checking up on my granma once in a while. I wish I could write you. I wish...I could go home._

* * *

Wufei entered the bedroom he shared with Amy about three hours later, with a small paper wrapped object in his pocket. Amy was lying on the bed, facing the door, her eyes open. Wufei noticed she made no movement to acknowledge his presence in the slightest. He shut the door, being careful not to slam it.

"Amy?"

She continued to stare at the door, but she spoke.

"Did you come to apologize?"

He winced. "Yes. What I said -"

"Don't."

"What?"

Amy blinked, but her eyes didn't focus on him. She kept staring at the door, like he wasn't there. As though she were looking _through_ him to something only she could see.

"Don't apologize. I'm not worth it."

"_What? _Who told you that?" He had a sudden desire to find that person and beat them senseless.

"My mother." Amy replied softly. " ' You are a soldier, a Gundam pilot. You are replaceable. This means you are worthless.'"

Wufei was completely blown away. Her own _mother _had told her that?

"Amy - "

She sat up and stared at him, finally seeming to actually see _him_, and not whatever horror lay in her past.

"She said soldiers have no time for tears, but I seem to cry an awful lot...guess I'm not much of a soldier, eh Wufei?"

Her dark blue eyes filled with tears, and she buried her face in her hands as she began to cry. Wufei crossed the room, sat on the bed, and hugged her.

* * *

He sat with her until she calmed down, and stayed until she fell asleep. Then he stood, removed the paper wrapped object from his pocket, and carefully unwrapped it. There was a small clinking noise as he set the contents on the nightstand with a small note. Wufei studied Amy for a long moment before he slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind himself.

* * *

It was full dark when Amy awoke. She fumbled for the lamp, switched it on, and sat up. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something silver glimmer on the nightstand. Amy picked it up, curious. It was a beautiful silver locket on a thin chain. A finely detailed rose was etched onto the oval face. Amy frowned, then reached over for the paper that had lain next to it. In neat handwriting, it read:

__

For being an insensitive jerk.

Wufei

Amy shook her head, not quite believing it. This was his apology for this morning? How did he manage to afford this? She smiled, and carefully fastened the locket around her neck. Apology accepted.

* * *

Wufei sat at the kitchen table, facing the doorway...and waiting. The others had long since finished dinner, and were now in the living room, with Maxwell trying to convince them to play a game. What in the world was 'Freeze Tag'?

He sighed. It had been an hour already, and he didn't think that she'd sleep all night, but maybe he was wrong. He could always go into the living room, and maybe hit Maxwell with a pillow... He grinned at the thought.

A noise dragged him out of his thoughts and made him glance at the door. Amy stood there, a little uncertainly. She was wearing the locket around her neck. When she locked eyes with him for a second, she blushed faintly.

"Hello."

He inclined his head. "Good evening. Did you sleep well?"

"Hai."

Amy pulled out the chair across from him and sat down. "Ano, Wufei?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for earlier today - honestly. I lost my temper...I don't really want to kill you."

Wufei found himself smiling. "That's a relief."

"So you accept my apology?" She seemed anxious about it.

"Hai."

At that, she relaxed and smiled. Her fingers drifted up to the locket.

"About this...arigato. It's beautiful."

__

No, you are.

"You're welcome. Forgive me for saying what I did this morning. I didn't mean it."

Amy grinned. "Forgiven." She shot a glance back over her shoulder for a second at a sudden burst of noise. "What are they doing out there?"

He scowled. "Your brother is trying to teach them a game. He called it Freeze Tag."

Amy's face lit up. "Oh, I remember that! Duo and I used to play it with some of the mechanics all the time back home. C'mon, it's fun." She stood and began to drag Wufei from his chair.

"Aren't you hungry? Quatre saved you some dinner..."

Amy shook her head, smiling.

"I'm not hungry right now; I'll eat it later. _C'mon_, this'll be fun!"

He tried to fight as she pulled him through the door. "I don't know how to play..."

Amy smirked. "I'll _show_ you. Quit being a pain, Chang!"

Sighing, Wufei gave himself up to it and let Amy lead him into the other room.

* * *

The game of freeze tag lasted well into the early morning hours - it ended only when Duo fell over one of the loveseats for the fiftieth time since they'd started playing and didn't get back up. Amy peered over the side and laughed.

"He's asleep." A soft snore followed her comment a moment later.

"Baka." Heero muttered. He walked behind the couch and pulled Duo up. Deathscythe's pilot didn't even stir as he was thrown into a fireman's carry and hauled off in the direction of the bedrooms.

"Well, that was fun!" Quatre exclaimed, then yawned. "Oh! Sumimasen." His face burned bright with embarrassment. "It really _is_ late - see you two tomorrow." He took Trowa's hand and led him away. Trowa appeared mildly amused.

Amy watched them leave, then turned to Wufei.

"So...what d'ya wanna do?"

Wufei was amazed. "Aren't you even a _little_ winded?"

Amy yawned. "A little, but I think I'm good for another couple hours."

He shook his head. "You are really something else."

Amy grinned at him. "Thank you. You did mean that as a compliment, right?"

Wufei found himself chuckling. "Yes."

"Good. So you didn't answer me before. What d'ya wanna do?"

Wufei's mind began to dip into the gutter, but he wisely pulled it out before he opened his mouth.

"We should probably get some rest."

Amy pouted, an expression that Wufei found adorable on her for some reason.

"I don't wanna sleep. Can't we talk at least?"

Wufei pointed to the clock that hung over the desk. "It's three a.m."

"Your point being?" Amy plopped onto the loveseat closest to her and beckoned to Wufei.

"Are you gonna sit or not?"

Wufei groaned in defeat and sat next to her.

"All right, I'm sitting. What do you want to talk about?"

"I like you. A lot. Tons, actually." Amy turned pink with embarrassment. "There, I said it. Duo suggested that I tell you how I feel, but - oh, I don't know. You probably think I'm an idiot now."

Wufei blinked. Several times. _She _liked _him_? Well, she'd told him he was cute once, but -

"Wufei?"

"I like you too," he mumbled.

Amy had begun to smile slightly. "What? I didn't catch that."

Wufei cleared his throat. Did she try to embarrass him on purpose?

"I said I like you too." He could feel the blush creeping up his cheeks.

Amy reached over and grabbed his hand. "Good."

She was smiling happily, and Wufei found himself returning it. It was a perfect moment - which was shattered not more than two seconds later.

"Oh, Heero!"

The voice carried clearly through the thin walls, and it was obvious whom it belonged to. Wufei let go of Amy's hand and cast an evil glare over his shoulder. Amy put both her hands up to her face and began to giggle into them.

"Oh god..."

Wufei glanced back at her and shook his head. "We are going to bed. No ifs, ands, or buts."

Amy nodded slightly, tears of laughter running down her face. She let Wufei pull her from the couch and back to the bedroom they shared. Once inside, Amy made Wufei stand with his back to her while she removed the locket and changed into a nightgown. Then she gave his ponytail a tug.

"Okay, your turn." She dutifully turned her back and waited. He took longer than she did - she supposed he was folding his clothes as opposed to tossing them on the floor like she had a habit of doing - but she finally heard him crawl into bed.

"Safe?"

"Safe."

She turned and climbed in beside him. It _was_ warmer under here, and she knew now he wouldn't try anything. Amy reached over and turned out the light, then pulled the covers up to her chin.

"Goodnight Wufei."

"Goodnight."

The room was blissfully silent for about ten minutes - then they could very clearly hear moaning coming from Duo and Heero's room. Amy began to giggle again, while Wufei scowled in the darkness.

"When's your brother's birthday?"

"March 1st. Why?"

"Because you need to give him a dictionary. Apparently he's never learned the meaning of the word 'Quiet'."

Amy snickered. "It'll be a late present, or should I wait 'til next year?"

Wufei groaned. "_Gods_, no. Buy him one tomorrow, please."

"H-heero!"

"Kisama!" Wufei sat up and climbed quite rudely over Amy ("Hey!") stumbled to the door, fumbled in the darkness for a moment, then flung it open. 

"Keep it down!" He roared. "Some of us are trying to sleep!"

The moaning stopped immediately.

Amy smiled in the darkness. If Quatre and Trowa had been trying to sleep, they were certainly awake now.

Wufei slammed the door, stomped back to bed, climbed over Amy again ("Ow! _Wufei!_") and hid under the covers.

The moaning started again, accompanied by the squeaking of bedsprings.

"Well, you sure told them off," Amy remarked, then dissolved into uncontrollable laughter.

Wufei pulled his pillow over his head. He was never going to get to sleep.

* * *

Amy tugging on his arm awakened Wufei the next morning. He cracked his eyes open to see her bent over, using the bed as leverage.

"Let's go, Wufei. Get _up_! Duo made pancakes and we're _missing _it!" 

Wufei scowled and tried to reclaim his arm. "I'm not eating anything your brother cooked. Remember lunch yesterday? Wait, you were taking a nap. All the same, it was the most _vile_ -"

Amy let go and glared at him. 

"Duo's a _good_ cook. Yesterday was probably an off day for him. He's got a lot on his mind these days, you know."

"Yes, like Yuy." He sat up and pushed the blankets back. Amy glanced down at his choice of attire for last night - a pair of black cotton boxers and nothing else - and just barely fought back the blush that threatened to creep up.

"Honestly," he continued, "I don't know how you slept through that last night."

Amy smirked. "I'd say I'm used to it, but I'm not, so my next excuse is that I'm a sound sleeper. Get outta bed. We've gotta eat so we can go take our shower."

Wufei turned the darkest red Amy had ever seen. She scowled at him.

"I didn't mean it like _that_, you hentai."

Wufei went over other possible meanings in his mind, and finding none, asked, "Then how _did_ you mean it?"

Amy colored and turned. "You're impossible." She said, and swept out the door. Wufei watched her go, smiling.

* * *

After breakfast (Which Wufei had to admit wasn't all that bad) five pilots stood about in the small hallway in their nightwear, each holding fresh clothes for the day. Trowa was currently in the shower, and had been for the last ten minutes. Duo was closest to the bathroom door; he reached out and banged on it.

"Don't use up all the hot water, Trowa! I gotta wash my braid!"

Wufei groaned, and Heero reached around him to grab Duo by said braid and pull him back.

"You're going last."

__

"What?"

Amy nodded her head in agreement. "He's right, you are. Duo, you take forever in the shower."

"By the time I get in there the water will be freezing!"

Heero shrugged. "Live with it."

Duo was absolutely speechless. Wufei smirked. "Who's next after Trowa?"

Amy pointed to Quatre. He shook his head. "Oh no, Amy Liana should be next."

Amy smirked and pointed to her own hair. "Kinda long, Quatre. Doesn't take me as long as Duo, but still..." Besides, she _needed_ a cold shower after sleeping next to Wufei all night. She'd had some pretty vivid dreams, and seeing him in those boxers this morning didn't help. It had taken everything in her not to stare at him all through breakfast and while they stood in the hall.

Quatre could see the logic in her argument. "So from now on we go according to hair length?"

The others murmured their agreement, with the exception of Duo, who waved an arm in protest.

"Then today isn't fair! Trowa went out of turn!"

Heero gave Duo's braid a possessive yank. 

"It's just for today, baka."

"Aw, but Heero -"

Heero glared at him, and Duo's argument faded away.

The shower had turned off during their discussion, and Trowa emerged, dressed but with his hair still dripping. Quatre shot everyone an apologetic glance before darting into the bathroom and closing the door. Trowa disappeared into his bedroom and the others settled down to wait their turns.

* * *

When Amy got out of the shower, her dark brown hair was almost black. She'd dried it off enough to keep it from dripping, but it was still pretty damp. She ducked past Duo who made a rush for the bathroom and went into her room, coming face to face with Wufei. He just stared.

Amy blinked. "Umm...hi."

He didn't say a word. Amy briefly wondered if she'd forgotten to put a shirt on, but that wasn't it.

"Wufei?"

He shook himself out of his trance and gestured to her outfit, a pair of black shorts and a blue blouse that matched her eyes.

"You look...nice."

She smiled. "Thank you."

Again, it was a perfect moment. Which of course was broken by Duo's yowling from the bathroom.

"This is fuckin' freezing! Thanks a lot guys!"

Amy giggled while Wufei shook his head.

"This house is too small for six people. The fact that we're operating off of a well isn't helping anything."

Amy smirked. "This house is better suited to two, ne?"

"Hai." Wufei responded before he realized what she was hinting at. Then he turned away with a grunt. "Baka onna."

Instead of throwing something at him, she crossed the room and tugged on his ponytail.

"Ne, Wufei?"

He turned around.

"Nani?"

"Nothin'. Just wanted to look."

Wufei was confused. "At what?"

Amy smiled secretly and leaned closer. 

"Do you really want to know?" She asked softly.

She was close enough that Wufei could kiss her if he wanted to...and he _really_ wanted to. That could earn him a sphere in the nuts if he was reading this wrong. He decided to risk it. He leaned in that last inch and kissed her.

TBC

A/N: Blame my muses! Well, blame Duo-muse. This was _his_ idea. I just agreed to go along with it. ^-^;; 


End file.
